283 [Assembly 



PACKING PROVISIONS FOR MARKET. 



Letter of Thos. F. De Yoe, Esq. 



Mev7-YorKj Dec. 21-, 1852. 

 B. P. JciixsoN, Esq., Sec^y State Ag. Society. 



Dear Sir — I take this late* opportunity of answering as far as I 

 am able, the inquiries made by yourself and Pro. Geo. H. Cook, 

 on tlie '^curing of provisions," &c. These subjects have com- 

 manded a part of my study and attention, as well as experience 

 and observation for about twenty years past, as they pertain to a 

 part of my business, and if what follows will be at all useful or 

 interesting, it is most willingly given. 



^'The discoloration of (silted) provisions, particulary beef," 

 &:c. You are aware, no doubt that the greatest quantity of '-bar- 

 relled beef" sent to foreign markets, is packed in the heat; great 

 portions are of young cattle, fattened on grass, principally of a 

 quick and larse sjrowth.and are what we New-York butchers call 

 <'grass fed beef." The beef when fresh will eat soft, tender, juicy 

 and sweet, but' will not have the delicious flavor, solidity or 

 firmness, weight, or the heart or nourishment that stall fed (with 

 grain) beef has. It appears to me as soon as the salt touches grass 

 fed beef, it draws back, slirinks into a smaller comp^^ss, and 

 changes to a dark color^ as if there was not firmness or solidity to 

 resist the action of the salt ; and <i hen boiled, especially if salted for 

 a long time, will shrink very much, leaving it tasteless, juiceless, 

 without heart or substance, and when cut of a dark color. ''Stall 

 fed beef," on the contrary, is like corn-fed pork ; it has the ap- 

 pearance (when properly cured) of being firmer, brighter, plump- 

 er, or has a sw^elled look, as if the well mixed fat protected the 

 lean flesh. We seldom hear of farmers or others salting grass or 

 milk-fed pork ; they pen them up, and feed as much corn (gener- 

 ally) as the animal will take, for sometimes, months before 

 slaughteiing, and when they are salted, I quote an old saying, 

 "put one pound of corn-fed pork in the pot, it comes out two," 

 which will apply to the stall-fed beef. Many cure with nothing 



*As I was at Washington, when your letter arrived, excuse this late answer. 



T. F. D. V. 



