66 A MANUAL ON THE HOG. 



should follow the "hair pullers," and every part of the 

 hog thoroughly cleaned, scraping the way the hair grows 

 from the head towards the tail the reverse motion of 

 the knife will cut the skin when warm and soft. Two 

 careful hands should be detailed to wash down with warm 

 water, and scrape clean as fast as they are hung up. A 

 little extra care now will prevent much annoyance to the 

 housewife when the pieces, especially the head and jowls, 

 are brought upon the table. If many hogs are to be 

 killed, it is best to commence at midnight, or as early in 

 the night, as is necessary to get them all hung up by 

 sun-rise. 



As fast as the entrails can be rid of the lard, they 

 should be taken out and the hog well washed out with 

 cold water, removing all blood from the interior of the 

 carcass. 



If the hogs are very large, and the weather not as cold 

 as desirable, the ribs should be cut down on each side of 

 the backbone, and the sides spread apart with sticks. 



Let them hang in this condition, through the night, 

 for the animal heat to escape, and commence early next 

 morning to cut up. 



The first thing to be done now, is to cut off the head 

 close behind the ears, then turn the hog on his legs, and 

 run the knife down the exact centre of the back, then 

 turn upon the back, divide and take out the back bone, 

 remove the leaf lard, take out the ribs if large, keeping 

 the edge of the knife turned towards the ribs, so as to leave 

 as little meat as possible upon them, making them truly 

 "spareribs." If small, it is best to leave the ribs in the 

 midlings. 



The leading object to be kept in view, in cutting out a 

 hog, is to have the largest quantity of meat on the most 

 valuable parts. The ham should be as shapely and smooth 

 as possible. To cut the ham, feel for the point of the hip 

 bone, and pass the knife around so as to just miss it, and 



