Report of Missouri Farmers' Week. 



597 



second ham from right), was one of the very best trimmed pieces 

 of meat in the show. What is true of this ham was also true of 

 the third prize ham, No, 11, second row from top, and second from 

 right. 



The committee in judging the hams first probed into each one 

 with a trier. After discarding those that were of off flavor, soft or 

 otherwise deficient, eight or ten of the best hams were cut. Then 

 before a decision was finally reached, a small piece of meat from 



First, second and third prize bacon. 



each ham was cooked and sampled. In the first choice ham the 

 meat was of unusually good quality, but there was most too large 

 a proportion of fat to lean. However, the fat was sweet and palat- 

 able, A point in favor of this meat was that the lean, while of 

 desirable firmness, was not too hard as is sometimes the case in old 

 hams. It was the opinion of the committee on awards that while 

 each farmer should, in a measure, be allowed to follow his own 

 fancy in. the triming of meat, the short ham (not short as is No. 21, 

 second row from bottom, fourth from left,) is much to be recom- 



' Parts of first, second and tliird prize hams. 



mended in preference to the long trim, which means waste of meat 

 when cooked. Ham No, 5, bottom row, second ham from left, 

 might have been greatly improved by closer trimming, putting 

 much of the fat shown to the right into the lard kettle or sausage 

 mill. Ham No, 30, to the right of No, 5, is a good example of the 

 most desirable long trim and was one of the best entries. Ham 

 No. 14, bottom row, second from right, illustrates what the trim 



