No. 112.J / 281 



so much of salted provisions turn out tainted or of inferior 

 quality. The kind of salt used, has in reality much less to do 

 with it than is generally supposed. 



Questions 6 and 7. I would add to the causes of the softening 

 of the rind of pork, the degree or extent of the scalding process 

 The water will necessarily be of variable temperature, and in 

 many cases the hog may be left too long exposed to its action, and 

 this would be suflBicient to account for the change in many instances. 



Question^ 11. It was owing to the general use of fine salt in the 

 interior and western part of our own State some years ago, and 

 its invariable effect, upon pork and beef, when examined the 

 spring and summer followiDg, being as I have stated, that provi- 

 sions so salted fell into disfavor, and the prejudice against tlie use 

 of fine salt became general ; at that time I think there was but 

 a small quantity of solar salt manufactured. As the production of 

 this latter quality of salt increased, the packing of pork in our State 

 decreased, owing to the railroad facilities, enabling the farmers to 

 find a better market for their hogs in New-York and Boston, so 

 that at the present day there is little packing -of pork or beef 

 done west of the Hudson river, (Utica is the only point of any im- 

 portance ) The packers on the river use exclusively foreign salt 

 and have always used it. 



The opinion that generally obtains, that Onondaga salt is not as 

 good as foreign salt, is based upon the quality of that salt as man- 

 ufactured years ago, and cannot be applied to the more recent 

 manufacture of solar evaporated salt. 



Through your kind attention the following valuable and in- 

 structive letters liave also been jnocnred. They are from prac- 

 tical and intelligent men, and tlie clear and direct statements 

 made, must commend them to the attention and confidence 

 of all. 



