220 FITTING SHEFP 



finding these cords it should not be cut crossways, as by 

 doing so the cords will be severed, but should be cut length- 

 ways. When taking off the fore feet of a lamb the operator 

 should be careful to take them off at the proper "lamb 

 joint," or he will be at once branded an amateur. The "lamb 

 joint" is not really a joint, but the connection of two bones 

 which appear as if cemented together. This connection is 

 found situated in the shank just above the principal joint of 

 the foot. By drawing his knife across the inside of the fore- 

 leg at the point above mentioned and severing the cords- 

 the operator can easily disconnect these bones. 



Fixing up a Lamb. 



Markets differ somewhat in requirements as regard style 

 and finish in which sheep and lambs should be dressed. 

 Mature, heavy weights are usually dressed in plain style, 

 i. e., without backsets of any kind. (See illustration.) The 

 sides and back, however, may be made to assume an artistic 

 and pleasing appearance with the knife in the hand of a 

 skillful butcher. 



In lamb dressing, the New York market asks for a lamb 

 dressed with double backsets (see illustration), whilst the 

 Boston market calls for only one backset. 



As soon as the entrails and haslet have been removed and 

 all trace of drainings and smearing of blood eliminated with 

 the damp wiping cloth, the backsets should be used in 

 spreading out the carcass to the best advantage. Backsets 

 can be made out of almost anything that goes in the makeup 

 of a store box. Split a piece of board, leaving it about two 

 inches wide and from one foot to eighteen inches long, ao 



