1 May, 1900.] QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 861 
Dare and tight ; put the point of the knife in a little behind the gullet, and feel 
} Jour way gently towards the gullet until the blood flows freely; when you have 
_ done so, remove your heel and kneel on the pig altogether. If you keep your 
heel against its jaw and get bitten, it will be a lesson you will not forget. 
CLEANING AND DRESSING. 
We will now suppose your pig is dead. Cut the division between the 
Hostrils, and meet the cut from underneath the nose. Get a loop with which 
to lift the pig on the block, which can easily be done by placing the hook of the 
Scraper in the inside of the bottom foreleg and two fingers of the left hand 
f ced through the loop made in the nose. You have now full control over the 
ore parts. Lift your end on the block, and let your man lift the hind parts. 
calding is the next operation, and the water, of course, should be boiling before 
You commence killing, and be sure you have enough before you start. Be 
careful you do not put on your water too hot, or you will over-scald, which is 2 
8reat deal worse than having the water too cold. If your water is not hot 
ough to scald, you can add more boiling, but if too hot, and you over-scald, 
You will not get the skin off at all. 
The best plan is to steep the feet first, and when done enough the skin will 
Come off if you rub your hand tightly round the leg. Having got your legs 
clear, pull off the toes by means of the hook at the back of the scraper; you 
tan now proceed with the side and head, and, when you have got the whole of 
One side clear with the scraper, swill it with cold water, and shave off with your 
uife what hairs remain. Now turn your pig over, and proceed as before. 
hen clean all over, cut the sinews in the hind leg to hang up with. When 
Aung up, cut open and take out offal as clean as possible. When all the 
Mtestines, &c., are out, wash out with clean water, and let carcass hang a few 
urs to drain before splitting down the back. 
I shall not go into the various methods of cutting up here, because there are 
80 many different systems of doing it that a book could be written on that 
lone. “ Further, I have not written this article to make everyone a full-fledged 
Utcher, but simply to assist when in trouble, and in many cases save a few 
Pounds by timely slaughter, thereby making the meat marketable. I advise 
readers to get a butcher to do it, if possible, for the extra outlay is repaid by 
a efficient manner in which it will be done; but if no butcher can be got, do it 
urself, 
SCALDING PIGS. 
_A great many people put a little washing soda in their tub, to slip the skin 
fasier, and the slightest presence of the two will give a green tint. In tub 
Scalding, I think the safest method is to pull the ears, as they are the first part 
to scald, If the skin comes off immediately the pig is put in, your water is too 
‘ot. Then put in a bucket of cold. The time it takes to steep varies con- 
‘iderably, especially when we have a great amount of hair on. Some pigs—like 
What we call the Dundalks, a black and white pig from Ireland—require very 
ttle, haying scarcely a hair on, and very fine in texture of skin. ‘Two men 
led five of the above breed, without unnecessary push, in one hour. 
hie It is important to have the hot water for scalding pigs at the proper 
Mperature. A correspondent of a farming paper says: “I have for years 
Nployed a test which I once saw recommended in an American periodical, and 
; Mi ich some of your readers may doubtless be interested in. It is as follows :— 
‘ efore immersing the carcass in the tank or other vessel in which the scalding 
_ to take place, take a little particle of its clotted blood and throw it into the 
} Water, Tf the blood immediately assumes a whitish-green tinge, the water is 
1, a hot; but if the blood in dissolving retains its crimson colour in the water for 
) gat? two seconds before it takes the greenish hue, the water isatits best heat, 
| dan excellent scald will be obtained by at once plunging the animal into the 
