SLAUGHTERING AND CURING 521 



more salt on all the piaces that cio not appear to have 

 quite enough. Xext comes a layer of shoulders and then 

 another layer of middlings, until all these pieces have 

 been laid. From time to time a little more salt is added, 

 as appears to l)e necessary. Idie hams are reserved for 

 ihe top layer, the object being to prevent them from be- 

 coming too salt. In a large bulk of meat the brine, as it 

 settles down, lodges upon the lower pieces, and some of 

 them get rather more than their quota of salt. Too 

 much saltiness spoils the hams. In fact, it spoils any 

 meat to have it too salt, but it requires less to spoil the 

 hams, because, as a rule, they are mostly lean meat. The 

 jowls, heads and livers, on account of the quantity of 

 blood about them, are put in a separate pile, after being- 

 salted. The chines and spareribs are but slightly salted 

 and laid on top of the bulk of neat meat. Close-fitting 

 boxes, which some use to keep the rats from meat, are 

 not the best; the meat need;, air. 



"In ten days to three weeks, according to weather and 

 size of the meat, break bulk and resalt, using the old 

 salt again, with just a little new salt added. In four to 

 six days more, or sooner, if need be, break up and wash 

 the meat nicely, preparatory to smoking it. Some 

 farmers do not wash the salt off, l)ut the meat takes 

 smoke better and looks nicer if washed." 



Another method having the highest recommendations 

 is to lea\-e the meat in a cool, dry place for at least 36 

 hours after being cut up in order that the animal heat 

 may escape. It should not be permitted to free;^e under 

 any circumstances. The recipe for curing material for 

 each 100 pounds of meat is to mix together thoroughly 



