FOR SHOW RING AND MARKET. 221 



cording to size of lamb being dressed; sharpen at both ends 

 and you have a cheap and quickly made, but nevertheless- 

 serviceable backset. These should be provided previous to- 

 slaughtering, or where the butcher is not a fast dresser the 

 lamb is liable to become cool and lose the desirable gloss 

 that is pleasingly conspicuous in quickly dressed ones whilst 

 he is preparing these. 



The novice quite often makes the mistake of having the 

 backsets too long, which, instead of answering the one most 

 important purpose of contracting or thickening the loin or 

 flank they, on the contrary, spread them too much. 



Before inserting the backsets in their proper positions 

 the lamb's back should be broken. Breaking a lamb's back 

 in the process of dressing not only makes it considerably 

 easier for the operator to properly fix the backsets in their 

 proper positions, but helps materially in setting it off to 

 advantage. When the back is broken just behind or back 

 of the kidneys, these organs, clothed as they are in snowy 

 white fat, assume a fuller and more beautiful appearance, 

 especially when they are neatly and properly finished by be- 

 ing fixed up with skewers. Skewering up the kidneys so as 

 to make them appear artistic and pleasing to the eye is no 

 mean accomplishment, and one that is not so easily acquired 

 as might be at first expected. Unless great care is used 

 there is always a great danger of breaking or bursting them 

 the kidneys, or, more proper, the kidney fat; then, added to 

 this, there is always considerable difficulty experienced by 

 the novice in getting them to assume the right poise or posi- 

 tion to make a harmonious and pleasing picture. The easiest 

 and best way to break a lamb's back is for the operator to- 

 place one hand on the back directly behind the kidneys and 



