Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1889-12-13
SUGAR CURED HAMS.
From a Razor Back Hog to a Ham
Sandwich.

The history ana mystery OF ham
sandwich is something that has seldom
been run down, few of those INDUCING
in that picnic ard MONDAY luxury real
izing the intimate relations existing
between that element OF the sandwich
so emphatically and invariably in the
minority, and the propelliug power of
the frisky razor-back piglet which
forms one of the principal resources of
an Indiana farmer.
The sugar cured ham is to-day one
OF the choicest items on a bill OF fare
and the man who can not appreciate
the iuXury-for it is luxury both in
flavor and price-of nicely fried or
boiled sugar cured ham, is hard 10
please.
The ham makes its first appearance
in "a clean-the muddier it is the
cleaner-pen on a farm. in the shape
of little sucking piglet. We next
find him chasing down the lane on
dead run in response to the welcome
cry of ''s'woy! s'woy! s'woy" and on
the aiacrity and frequency of this de-
cidedly invigorating exercise, depends
the date of his sacrifice TO the appetite
OF man.
We next find him big lazy porker,
undergoing n knocking" process IN
the stock pen at the nearest railway
or steamboat station, preparatory TO
being loaded into crowded freight
car. A day or two later, hungry and
Disguised he landed, with IA large
number OF his companions in misery,
at, the stock yards in the city. just
what transpires on the outside he
doesn't know, but what is-or is not
transpiring on the inside is OF para
mount importance to his pigship
Three days on limited rations is some
thing not in keeping with his dietary
training, and the matters OF his future
career and his mission on earth, are OF
secondary Importance to him.
He is next found en- route for
butchers pen in the rear OF a big pack
ing house, whence he is driven into a
smaller one known AS "A knocking pen
where he suddenly lapses into coma
tose state which he never RECEIVERS, in
consequence of being struck between
the eyes with the poll of an AK welded
by herculean butcher. His body is
dragged into the sticking peu where by
skillful plunge another butcher
thrusts a long keen edged knife be-
tween the fore legs directly under the
throat, the heart is punctured and five
minutes later the boodless crrcass is
slid into tub OF scalding water
where it remains ten minutes and Is
then lifted out onto scraping bench,
where by means OF scraping and
shaving process ii is deprived OF every
vestige OF bristles. 1t is then turned
over TO the gutter who. having it up
by the hind legs, proceed skillfully TO
cut open the belly aud remove the in
testines, loosen the kidney fat and cut
off the head. The carcass, thus dress
ed. is at once removed to cooling
room, where it is hung up for twelve to
eighteen hours TO effect the withdrawal
OF every particle Of animal heat. When
thoroughly cooled the hog undergoes
a process of dissection, the various
parts being sent TO the departments OF
the establishment devoted TO their
special treatment.
The hams or hind quarters which
constitute that portion Of the hogs
anatomy located at the extreme south
east aud southwest points-are taken
10 the packing-house. Here they UNI
dergo second cooling process after
which they are placed in a sweetened
brine composed of water, salt and
sugar, and are required to undergo a
picking or curing process. The pc
riod of their sojourn in this brine de-
ponds on the size of the ham, a small
one being thoroughly cured in thirty
days, while the large ones frequently
require ninety days.
On being removed from the brine
the hams are at once hung up in the
smoke house, where for three TO five
days they are subjected to the inlu-
ence of "a strong smoke OF dry wood
and frequently corn cobs. so smother
ed as 10 intensity the volume and
strength of the smoke After being
smoked each ham is tested by an eX-
pert who determines whether or not
the ham has been spoiled in picking.
This he does by plunging ''sticker, "
steel instrument like an ice pick, in
to the ham, and smelling il. In the
picking process a great many hams
spoil, particularly in warm and
changeable weather, when as high as
ten per cent are lost.
After the quality OF the ham is de-
termined it is canvased by wrapping
in paper and covering securely with
muslin, over which is painted a thick
coat of yellow ochre and flour. In
this condition ham can be kept sweet
and sound for almost any length Of
time.
The process OF converting the hog
into ham requires about fifty to seven
ty days from the time he is struck on
the head.
Our Babies Chances.
OF the babies born during the pres