THE HOG. 237 



"The following is the mode of boning or cutting: the pig is placed 

 on a strong table or bench ; the head is then cut off close to the ears ; 

 the hog is then opened down the back, a cleaver or saw is used for the 

 purpose, and both back-bone and hip-bones are taken out, except in one 

 or two places yet to be spoken of, where a different system is pursued. 

 The hind-feet are then cut off, so as to leave a shank to the ham. The 

 fore-legs are then cut round at the hough, the flesh scraped upward off 

 the bone, and off the shoulder-blade, which is taken out quite bare, 

 under the side. The saw is then run along the ribs, so as to crack them ; 

 they then lie quite flat. The hog is then divided straight up the back, 

 and the sides are ready for salting, the ham still remaining in. 



" When the sides are ready for salting, they are well rubbed on the 

 rind side, and the space from which the shoulder-blade was taken out 

 is filled with salt. The sides are then laid singly upon a flagged floor, 

 and salt is shaken over them. In a day, or two days if the weather 

 be cold, they must again be salted in the same manner; but now two 

 sides may be ]3ut together, and powdered saltpetre shaken over each 

 side, in the proportion of about two ounces to each side, if of average 

 bacon size. After three or four days, the sides are to be again changed, 

 the shanks of the hams rubbed, the salt stirred on, a little fresh salt 

 shaken over them, and five or six sides may now be placed over each 

 other. The sides may then be left thus for a week, when they may be 

 piled one over the other to the number of ten or twenty sides, if you 

 have killed so many hogs. Leave them so for above three weeks, until 

 they get firm ; they may then be considered saved, and will keep so for 

 six or eight months, or according to pleasure. 



" When required for use or for market, the sides are taken out of the 

 salt, well swept and cleaned — the ham taken out, hung up, and dried 

 with turf smoke ; if a brown color be desired, a little saw-dust of hard 

 wood may be thrown over the turf. If hung up in a kitchen where 

 turf is burned, and suffered to remain, not too near the fire, the same 

 effect will be produced ; and if the bacon have been well saved in salt, 

 it will be excellent. 



" Ihe Belfast and Limerick methods of cutting differ from what I 

 have described, inasmuch as the hip-bones are left in, and the hams are 

 cut out, while the hog is fresh, and saved separately. In some cases, 

 also, the ribs are taken out of the sides, and, in Belfast, the shoulder- 

 blade is taken out over the side. 



"Both the Belfast and Limerick hams are cured in the same mild 

 manner; they are, as I have stated, cut out of the hog when fresh, 

 cured separately, and only left a suflicient time to be saved, and no 

 more. They are not suflered to become too salty, a fault sometinies 

 perceptible in the Wicklow hams. The Limerick and Belfast curers 

 also make up different other portions of the hog separately, as long 

 sides, middles, and rolls, for the English market. 



" Sometimes the ribs are taken out, and sometimes not, according to 

 the market for which they are intended. 



"Limerick and Belfast hams are cured in the following manner: — 

 They are cut fresh from the pig, with the hip-bones left in them, and 

 are placed on a flagged floor, the front of the second ham resting upon 



