132 II. ANIMALS.— Preservation, &c. 



several small holes bored through it, are preferable. A layer of 

 large-grained salt is laid upon this, the pieces of meat or fish 

 packed along with the same kind of salt, and covered at top with 

 another layer of salt. In about a week, or rather sooner, the sub- 

 stances are taken out and repacked in small vessels with the same 

 coarse-grained salt ; some add a little spirit of salt in this repack- 

 ing to improve the flavour. Cutting out the bones of meat that 

 is to be salted in this manner, and splitting large fish, is of ad- 

 vantage. In some places the boned meat is also pressed by heavy 

 stones laid upon a plank, or by a screw before it is put into the 

 salt. 



Preservation of animal substances by merely rnhhing in of salt 

 is practised when and where salt is dear. The meat is laid on a 

 table or bank of brickwork which has a gentle slope, and well 

 rubbed with salt, to which a little saltpetre and coarse sugar may 

 be added with great advantage ; a small quantity of salt or dry 

 mixture is then strewed over the meat. As the moisture of the 

 meat melts some of the salt, it runs off the table or bank. If 

 only a single piece of meat is thus salted in a dish, a smaller dish 

 should be placed, bottom upwards, In the larger dish, to allow 

 the brine to drain away from the meat. This method is less effi- 

 cacious than pickling in brine or packing in dry salt, and fre- 

 quently fails : it also cannot be well applied to fish, on account of 

 their tenderness not bearing the necessary rubbing. The brine 

 that drains from the meat may be made boiling hot, scummed, 

 boiled down nearly to dryness, and the salt thus obtained used 

 again. 



The preservation of animal substances in strong vinegar is sel- 

 dom practised ; but a mixture of common vinegar, small beer, 

 and water, in equal quantities, is used to pickle some fish, as 

 salmon, for present use, as it will not keep them more than a few 

 days. 



Olive oil is also used to preserve fish, as salmon and tunny, the 

 jars being filled to the brim, well closed, and the joints secured 

 with mortar or plaster of Paris to keep out the air, which would 

 turn the oil rank. 



Small birds, as quails, and fish, as char, are also preserved by 

 potting them, that is, by pouring clarified butter over them, so as 

 to fill the vessel, which is then kept closely covered, and paper 

 pasted over the joints. Meat and fish, previously dressed, are 

 also chopped, and pounded to a paste along with spices, pressed 

 into pots, and clarified butter poured over the paste to the thick- 

 ness of a quarter of an inch, to keep it from the air. 



For preserving meat and fish by smoking them, in perfection, 

 proper rooms are necessary. These rooms are on the two upper- 

 most floors in the house, as high from the ground floor as possible. 



