Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1871-12-15

Dressing and Shipping Pork.
From the Western Rural.
Nowadays the great bulk of fat
tened stock is sold alive, but very
many farmers still prefer to butcher
their hogs and sell them dressed,
and this article is written for the
benefit of those who have not yet
availed themselves Of the best APP
planes and skill in doing So
Those who already have convenient
houses for feeding swine, have so
much the easier task in preparing
the necessary fixtures for killing
and dressing it. If you have any
one of the improved farm steamers
in use, a water-tight wooden box,
capable of holding and work. e the
number Of swine that are to be
handled at once, should be provid-
ed, and only SO deep that the ami
mails will float therein, and wide
enough SO that large hog may be
easily moved about. The ends
should be slanting towards the bot
tom, to assist in getting them in
and out. AT each end, build a plat
form just high enough from the
floor so that the men can stand to
them and work conveniently, and of
the same height rs the scalding
trough. From the end of the plat
form, for removing the bristles,
carry an inclined runway, of con-
vcnient width, to height of about
six or seven feet, and from thence
as far horizontally as may be desir-
ed. The gambrels for running
along this way should be straight
and notchcd at the end to hold the
tendons from slipping off. Along
this run way the hogs may easily be
carried at proper distances for
finishing, and if you are obliged. to
heat your water by the direct ap-
plication Of fire, the scalding box
should have sheet iron bottom,
which any iron worker will readily
put in, but if steam is used it is
only necessary to pass steam pipe
or hose into the scalding box, and
it is ready for work. II many hogs
are to be dressed, we should, how
ever, advise truck which may be
tipped up to receive the gambrel
upon which the hog may be wheeled
along the tramway and then placed
where it is to hang.
The tools necessary are, knives
for sticking, scraping and shaving;
the first. nine inches long, and point
ed; the second, larger, stout and
broad, and the third, thinner, and
of the finest steel. One Of the best
instruments for scraping is the old
fashioned iron candlesticks, but i'm
plements are now sold for this
special purpose.
One of the greatest mistakes usu-
ally made In dressing hogs is using
the water too hot for scalding. Buy
a thermometer, and keep the water
at 1850 to 1909 and you will have
no trouble. And whatever the col
or of the swine, by using ordinary
care they may be made white. In
killing, do not stick them too dead,
let them bleed rather slowly, for it
is important that they bleed clean,
and for this purpose they should
have plenty oftimc. A little prac-
tice will enable you to touch them
in the artery next the heart. In all
the operations of dressing, snake
haste slowly" you do not have
to dip water back and forth from
the old fashioned barrel to the ket-
tie, you can afford to work without
hurry, and it will surprise you to
see how easily and smoothly butch
ering will go.
Many farmers leave the cleaning
Of the entrails and head and feet to
the women. Abolish this entirely;
it is not their work. 1t will be
enough for them to try the lard and
prepare the "souse" after they are
perfectly cleaned.
Do not let the hogs freeze; at
least, not until thoroughly cooled
Heavy pork is sometimes tainted
by being allowed to freeze suddenly
on the outside before the interior
portions become cool. TO become
cool will take from
twelve to thirty-slx hours-tlie lat
ter time for extreme weights. Use
the utmost cleanliness in all the OPP
erations of drcssing--and clean the
head, ears and feet as thoroughly rs
any other portions of the swine
Use plenty Of water in washing
down to remove all stains and blood;
their wipe dry if Unnecessary. If you
use proper care as directed in
dressing, you will now have your
hogs in condition to command the
highest price in market that their
grade will allow, and this brings us
to grading and shipping.
Just here, we want to say word
to the shipper, be he farmer or
buyer, aud principally upon the
point of selection. More money is
lost to the farmer by shipping all
grades of hogs in one lot, than in
any other one direction connected
with the marketing. They may be