376 THE HANDBOOK FOE PRACTICAL FAEMERS 



at the top and continue cutting down to the jaw. Split the hams 

 to the pelvic (coupling) bone. If you have cut exactly in the 

 middle it is possible to split the bone with the knife. 



Place the knife between the tirst and second finger of the left 

 hand, inserting the fingers where the opening has been made 

 and Avith the right hand force the knife down to the breast bone. 

 Insert the knife between the first ribs and split the breast by 

 pulling up on the knife. In splitting the upper end of the breast 

 bone be careful not to cut the stomach. Some prefer to split the 

 breast bone from above. 



Then remove the intestines and stomach, cutting the mem- 

 branes that attach them. Cut down along the backbone and it 

 will be easy to remove the pluck. Cut on each side of the tongue 

 to loosen it and pull it out mth an upward jerk. Put a piece of 

 wood in the hog's mouth and wash out the inside of the carcass 

 with cold water. Spread open the sides Avith a stick. To cool 

 quickly, remove the head and split the carcass down the 

 backbone. 



The dressing percentage for good hogs is usually from 

 seventy-five to eighty per cent; i. e., twenty to twenty-five per 

 cent offal. 



Cutting up hogs. — Cut off the head an inch back of the ears. 

 Cut off the shoulders between the fourth and fifth ribs and the 

 hams two inches in front of the pelvic bones. Trim the hams 

 and shoulders neatly. Remove the leaf lard by starting it in 

 front and rolling it backward. Then take out the loin and spare- 

 ribs. Cut the side lengthwise into three pieces. Use the upper 

 strip for salt pork or lard and the two lower strips for bacon. 



Curing meats. — A clean hard wood barrel or a crock are the 

 most suitable vessels in which to cure meat. Meat should not be 

 cured until it is thoroughly cooled, but it should be cured while 

 it is fresh. Avoid freezing. 



Plain salt pork. — Cut the meat into pieces about six inches 

 square. Rub with salt and let stand over night. Then for every 

 one hundred pounds of meat, dissolve nine or ten pounds of salt 

 in four gallons of boiling Avater. When the brine is cold pour it 

 over the meat. 



Brine cured pork. — For every one hundred pounds of meat 

 use seven to nine pounds of salt, tAvo and one-half pounds of 

 sugar (white or brown), sirup or molasses, one to tAvo ounces of 

 saltpeter, four gallons of water. It is safer to boil the brine 

 before using. Bacon strips should remain in the brine four to 

 six weeks ; hams six to eight weeks. 



