THE PIO: TO RAISE AND USE HIM. 211 



weather, this may not be high enough. 160 deg. is the 

 point for pigs over 751bs. 



Cutting up the Pig. The body should be allowed to 

 cool thoroughly. When pork is tainted, after salting 

 it is almost invariably for 

 want of thorough cooling 

 before cutting up the car- 

 cass. A good way to cut 

 up a pig, is to saw or chop 

 down the back, and make 

 two sides. The shoulder 



. , , ce , i ,-, Cuttmg-up a Pig. 



is then cut on as at 1, the 



ham nicely rounded as at 2, leaving the small rump-piece 

 with the tail. The belly (3) is cut off, and the loin (4 and 

 5) is cut into two more or pieces, as may be desired. The 

 rib-bones should all be taken out and used fresh. The 

 shoulder should be freed from the ribs, and, with the 

 hams and the belly pieces, cured and smoked by them- 

 selves. The belly is often cut up into long, narrow pieces, 

 weighing 51b. to 61b., and, after being carefully cured and 

 smoked, is readily saleable as breakfast bacon. 



Curing Hams and Bacon. Cut out the ribs, using a 

 sharp heavy knife for the purpose, and passing it close to 

 the bone, the rule beirg to cut out the bones, and nothing 

 more. In warm localities, where the meat is wanted for 

 home use, it is safest to cut out the bones of the hams 

 also ; follow them out closely as in the former case, 

 leaving only the small bones at the points of the hams and 

 shoulders. In cooler localities the bones may be left in, 

 in which case a sharp saw should be used to trim those 

 on the surface quite flat. Leave neither holes nor 

 protuberances, fill them with bran soaked in lard when 

 necessary, and the appearance will be improved very much. 

 Use purified saltpetre about one ounce to 501b. of meat. 

 Pound it fine ; run a steel or skewer close alongside the 

 bones, pushing down the salt-petre with it, giving 

 particular attention to the places were joints occur. Then 

 rub in salt as much as covers the meat, say lOlb. for lOOlb. 

 meat; but double the quantity of salt should be handy. 

 Surround the meat with salt, pack it on a table or board 



