92 HIGGLE SWINE BOOK. 



sausage and scrapple and other side dishes. The 

 division in this case is somewhat different. The carcass 

 is split on either side of the spine, leaving a strip four 

 inches wide. From this the fat is cut for lard, and the 

 lean meat and bone cut into sections make toothsome 

 roasting pieces. The bacon is cut into strips four or five 

 inches wide along the belly on either side. The thicker 

 parts of the sides are cut into pieces nearly square and 

 the fat edges cut off and made into lard. The shoulder 

 is cut smaller than indicated in diagram and rounded 

 off more like a ham, the trimmings being used for lard 

 and sausage. In trimming the hams be careful to avoid 

 cutting into and mutilating the natural membrane 

 covering the lean meat. A smoothly trimmed ham 

 looks better and keeps better than one that is rough 

 and haggled. 



It is best as a rule to leave the cutting operation 

 until the carcass is cooled through and through, but 

 heavy hogs will cool faster split down the back, the 

 head cut off, and the leaf lard partly separated from 

 the sides. 



Much pork can be sold in the winter season in the 

 form of the entire carcass, in a fresh state. When it 

 comes to salting down the meat great care must be 

 taken to have it thoroughly cooled. It must be en- 

 tirely chilled through and through, but never put away 

 frozen. Do not spare the salt, as the meat will not 

 take it up in excess of a certain limit. Pickle should 

 never be poured into the swill barrel or where poultry 

 or any animal can get it to drink ; the surplus salt may 

 be spread over the asparagus bed. 



In curing hams and shoulders be sure to fill in and 



