Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-12-15
HOW TO PRESERVE PORK;

4nOlN VI "AsAb 10 SoIANN BASAAON pun ID
used by the farmers than with us. Pork
put up for this purpose is held in high
favor, and for the benefit of such of our
farmers as desire to avail themselves of
the product of the hog in this shape, we
copy the following directions for pre-
serving the pork from the Utica IN. "
Herald:
Farmers, as class, depend largely for
their family supply of meat, upon the
pork barrel. When, from any cause, this
gives out, their "msin stay" is gone. We
should expect, therefore, that they would
spare no pains to preserve, as perfectly as
possible, all the pork they need for family
use Such, however, Is not the case.
Many farmer packs his pork with so
little care, or adopts such mistaken
methods, that before the middle of the
summer, he finds his pork barrel tainted
and the pork good for nothing but soap
grease.
All This can he prevented by the exer-
else of little more care and good sense
in packing the pork. The first danger to
be guarded against is that of allowing the
meat to tant before it is packed Hogs
are generally killed after freezing weather
sets in: the butchering and dressing takes
place in the open air, and the carcass is
frequently allowed to freeze on the out
side before it is carried into the cellar or
other place for cutting up. This surface
chilling takes place while all the animal
heat remains in thick portions of the
body, and prevents it from escaping.
After the carcass is carried under cover,
it is frequently left for some time before
cutting up, and when the outside is chilled,
with the animal heat still in the thick
portions, it will faint in twelve hours.
The safe way, therefore, - 10 take the
carcass under cover before is surface is
frozen in the least. If it is not conve-
nient to cut it up ready for packing at
once, it should be split open lengthwise,
so as to assist the escape of the animal
heat. 1t is not necessary that all the ami
NAL heat be allowed to escape before
packing; and in fact the pork is in pleas
anter condition to handle before it be-
comes perfectly cold and rigid.
When if has been cut up into pieces of
! convenient size, the next thing to be at
tended 10 is the packing. The barrel must,
of course, be perfec ly swee', and so
strong that there will be no danger of
| leakage. This being insured, begin the
packing, ley covering the bottom of the
cask with an inch and a half of coarse
salt. This is to keep the pork from COM
| ing in contact with the cask, and thus
being exposed to the air and the almost
certainty Of tsiuting. Then put in the
layers of pork, one upon the other, ard
between the layers heavy sDrinkling of
fine salt. Fine salt, if pure, is as good as
the solar, and is cheaper. Cover the last
layer with Oue-half inch of solar salt.
salt. Let the barrel stand in this cOndi-
ton three or four days, so that the sat
shall work into the meat, and form sort
of brine with the water of the NEST itself.
Afterwards pour on brine enough to Just
cover the meat, but not 10 cover the top
layer of salt. Pork packed in this way
will keep always.
When the pork is being used, the brine
should be dipped out as the pork lowers
in the barrel, so that layer of salt may
always be on top. If the brine is allowed
to cover the salt, it will have particles OF
animal matter floating upon it which, by
thus coming in contact with the air, will
become tainted, and will communicate
this faint to the body of the pork below,
by means of the brine. A great deal OF
pork is lost in this way which could have
been saved sweet and good if the brine
had only been lowered with the pork
None but the best kinds of salt should bt
used. They will cost but trifle more
and are often the means of saving an en-
tire barrel OF pork. If the barrel is head
cd up and laid upon its side, 1t should b(
turned frequently, 50 that the side that il
uppermOst shall not faint.
If our readers who have pork to pacf
will follow these directions, we will war
rant them sweet pork the year round
THE FIELD-ROLLER.
1t is rare to find field-roller upon th
farm, and yet upon many farms it woull
pay for itself every season. The nipple
ment as turned out from the factory il
rather expensive, costing about $50. Thi
is q large sum to pay for an article mos
farmers have never used and never fel
the need of. The necessity of it is no
so obvious as that of the moving ma
chine, and yet it has its place in the rou
tine of our labOrs. 1t is the best imple
ment for making smooth surface fol
, the meadow, matter of great impor
! lance Tor the moving machine. 1t shoulC
follow the brush harrow always in tn
: Spring, when the land is laid down t
T grass. And if the land is wet, and tn
grass roots have been thrown out by frOs;
the roller viii press many of them bacl
again and make smooth surface 1t i
| also of great service in breaking
hard Jumps, when the land /
8 plowed for hoed crops or for Spring o
, Winter grain. These Jumps are sever
, obstacle to the progress of crops in tn
soil, and whatever aliment they contai
, is lost TO the growing crop. The roller
good pulverizer. Then in q dry tim
f it greatly assists in the termination 0
seeds. Wheat, rye, and other grains
come up much better for the pres;
sure of the soil around them. Then tn
labor of cultivation is economical by haJ
ing the field laid as smoothly as possible
You can see the rows very distinctly, an
begin the cultivation sooner, and brin
J the cultivator much nearer the CROWN
l plants, leaving much less labor for tn
, hoe. This makes large saving in tn
item of labor. 1t is of still greater SCI
vice in disposing of the small stones i
the gravelly loans on many fields; it wi
t bring all of these on a level with the sur
face and put them below the cut of til
moving machine. This saves the di:
agreeable labor of picking stones, whic
has probably weaned more boys from th
I farm than any other work. We baV