SLAUGHTERING AND CURING 5 II 



side, there should be a strong platform, about 6 feet 

 wide and 8 feet long, from which to scald the hogs, and 

 upon which they are to be scraped after scalding. At 

 one end of this, the ground should be graded up even 

 with the platform, or a sloping approach built, to facili- 

 tate getting the hogs onto the main platform after they 

 have been killed. For convenience in lowering the hogs 

 into and lifting them out of the water, two or more 

 ropes, 8 or 10 feet long, should be secured to the side of 

 the platform next the water, and resting on these, the 

 carcass can be lowered or raised with comparative ease 

 by two or three men. On the bottom of the vat there 

 should be some wooden strips or a slatted frame to pre- 

 vent the hog from lying directly on the bottom, as with 

 much fire below, the skin would soon cook or scorch. 



The animal is immersed for a few seconds, and then, 

 by means of the ropes, raised out of the water, to allow 

 the air to strike its body, and then immersed again. When 

 the hair readily leaves the skin, especially on the head, 

 legs and feet, the hog should be removed from the water 

 as soon as possible, and speedily stripped of every hair. 

 \\'hen this is done the hind legs should be freely cut into 

 below the gambrel joint, to reach both main cords under 

 which the end of the gambrel should be inserted. The 

 gambrel should be of strong wood — hickory or oak is 

 best — and from 24 to 30 inches in length, according to 

 the size of the hogs, and be slightly notched on the 

 upper side of each end to prevent the legs from slip- 

 ping off. 



Posts or forks sliould be so set that a strong pole 

 resting on them will l)e in part over the platform, about 



