A MANUAL ON THE HOG. 65 



for lard scalded and sunned, vessels for pickled pork made 

 brineproof, vessels for trying up the lard, and an abun- 

 dance of seasoned wood, provided for the convenience of 

 the mistress of the house, and any other preparations ne- 

 cessary to facilitate the work. The hogs should be fasted 

 for twelve hours before killing to facilitate the process of 

 "ridding" the lard. Everything being made ready, the 

 executioner armed with an eight inch knife with both 

 sides sharpened near the point, stands ready to draw he 

 heart's blood of his victims. Two active men seize the 

 hog, throw him upon his back, one holding the hind legs, 

 and the other the fore legs, and seated upon the belly of 

 the parker, pulls his legs back close to his sides. 



The executioner or "sticker" places his left hand upon 

 the chin of the hog, presses it down firmly, makes an inci- 

 sion across the neck, just in front of the breast bone and 

 inserts the knife directly into the heart, being careful to 

 avoid the "shoulder stick" which will seriously injure the 

 ioint. The penetration of the heart will be indicated by 

 the dark color of the blood. The victim is then turned 

 loose to bleed and die. Knocking on the head with an 

 axe is objectionable, for two reasons : if the blow meets its 

 aim the brain will be bruised and bloody, and thus this de- 

 licious product injured ; if the head is missed, there will be 

 an ugly bruise on some other part, and unnecessary pain 

 given the animal. 



Only so many should be killed at one time as can be 

 scalded before the blood becomes so cold and clotted as 

 to interfere with thorough scalding. When these are 

 scalded, cleaned, and hung up, another lot may be butch- 

 ered, and so on until the whole number is dispatched. 

 The water should be at 160 F. to scald best, and two care- 

 ful hands charged with this duty. 



No time should be lost in removing the hair after the 

 scalding is done, especial care being taken to remove all 

 hair from the head and feet while warm. Sharp knives 

 5 



