330 The most simple means of employing dead Animals. 



along the neck, the breast and the belly, as far as the tail ; a cross 

 cut is then made along each leg as far as the foot : the skin is cut 

 all around the limb, and is then detached from all parts of the ani- 

 mal, by pulling it with one hand, at first in the middle of the belly, 

 and making with the other hand a great number of strokes with a 

 knife, the edge of the blade being directed more towards the flesh, 

 for fear of cutting the skin. 



An acquaintance with this operation may be obtained by imitating 

 the manner of the butcher boys, and skinners by profession. It 

 would be better to apply to one of these, if he is to be found in the 

 neighborhood. In places near manufactories where they work in 

 skins (tanneries, taweries, Stc.) the skins can be sent to these estab- 

 lishments quite fresh, after which the ears, flesh and bones contain- 

 ed in the tail are removed ; skins are sold by weight. If on the 

 contrary the skins are to be sent to some distance, or kept some 

 time until there is occasion to transport them, it will be necessary to 

 remove carefully all the remaining flesh, and which may cause them 

 to spoil : it will be proper even in this case to remove the tail. 



When the skin has been separated from the animal in the manner 

 just related, all the bowels and other viscera are to be drawn from 

 the abdomen and chest, the whole placed in a pit dug in a mound 

 of earth as dry as possible ; all the soft parts must be torn apart by 

 two persons pulling in contrary directions by means of pitchforks or 

 strong rakes, then to be mixed with a sufficient quantity of earth to 

 form, not a paste, but a moist powder ; the manure thus obtained 

 may be employed immediately by being spread over the earth under 

 culture, by being divided in small portions between the hillocks of 

 different plants as we have before stated 5 or finally by being spread 

 in farrows dug between rows of plants sowed in lines and covered 

 with earth. 



If the animal is capable of serving as nourishment for man or an- 

 imals, as it is in the greatest number of cases, the most advan- 

 tageous use it can be put to, it will be proper to cook it that it 

 may be consumed before it spoils, or to salt it that it may be pre- 

 served during the time necessary for a prolonged consumption. To 

 this effect, we are to put up in one vessel or more, large stone pots 

 for example, all the parts which spoil the soonest ; these are the liv- 

 er, the heart, and the spleen; if they cannot be consumed at once, they 

 are to be put in a pot, by placing at the bottom a little salt at first, 

 then adding successively all the pieces after rolling them over a ta- 



