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Co-operative Bacon Curing. 



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of 38 0 F., until, on inserting a meat thermometer into the 

 gammon end, it registers 40 0 F. On the average, it takes 

 36 hours to reach this degree of coolness, and when it has 

 been attained the sides are taken into the curing cellar, where 

 finally they are trimmed, and at once pumped with a recog- 

 nised pickle in some fourteen different places, after which 

 they are laid down on the cellar floor, and stacked in tiers 

 10 sides deep. The cellar is kept at a temperature of about 

 42 0 F. 



Each side is covered over, first of all, with an equal mixture 

 of curing antiseptic and saltpetre, in a finely granulated state, 

 and on the top of this is placed a thick layer of salt. For 

 mild-cured bacon this is all the curing that is required, and 

 in about 14 days' time the process of curing is complete, after 

 which the bacon is taken out and washed in cold water, and 

 should then be in a state for selling as " green" bacon. If 

 wanted as "dried" bacon, it must be hung in a drying room 

 for three days in a temperature of 90 0 F., and is then avail- 

 able as "pale dried" bacon. If, however, it is wanted as 

 "smoked " bacon, it must be hung for three days in a smoke 

 stove where the temperature does not exceed 90 0 F., and 

 where a thick volume of smoke is produced from hard wood 

 sawdust, such as oak, ash, or beech. 



These operations refer to what is technically known as 

 "Wiltshire bacon," which is a commodity that is produced 

 in all bacon curing countries. There are, however, many 

 variations of the bacon curing trade, and also subsidiary 

 operations, which in themselves are businesses, such as 

 sausage making and lard refining. The products of a bacon 

 factory may also include hams, middles, rolls of bacon, or 

 other special products, but the processes of manufacture are 

 only variations of the general principle of curing Wiltshire 

 bacon. What is absolutely indispensable in the bacon 

 factory is competent managership, and the employment of 

 a staff who are acquainted with the various processes to be 

 carried out. 



Technical Education. — Bacon curing on a. large scale is a 

 highly technical business, but unfortunately no facilities 

 exist for acquiring a knowledge of the technique of the 

 business at any of our educational centres. This seems the 



