The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1900-03-01

LIGHT SNOW SHOVEL.
thick. Bowel OF one end and get
piece Of sheet iron from tinshop five
inches wide and as long as your board
is wide Get the tinsmith to bend this
for you so that one side is longer than
the other. and get him to punch holes In
1t for the nails. Nail this on your
board a. protection for the end. put
ting the longer portion Of the iron on
the bottom of the shovel.
"Now get piece of wood ID inches
long and two inches thick and about
five inches wide. Shave this piece SO
1t will be three cornered and nail 1t
upon the other end Of the shovel. An
ordinary fork handle will answer only
II should be sawed off diagonally SO
that It will match the three cornered
piece The handle Is fastened by a
rivet three-eighths of an inch in diam
eter. going through handle. angular
board and blade of shovel and riveted
The rivet Is placed about three inches
from the end Of the handle. and over
the end strip Of tin is nailed"
HOG KILLING.
Packing Pork, Sailing and Smoking
Hams. Shoulders, Etc.
Hogs to be slaughtered should not be
fed for "a hours before slaughtering.
They will not bleed freely. Nor should
they become heated by chasing or any
other cause 1t likewise has a tenden-
cy to check the flow Of blood. Nor
should hog be scalded until 1t has
fully expired, says a writer in Field and
Farm In preface to the following use
full Instructions In hog killing on tho
farm:
After the hog is hung up and the mites
tines lungs, heart and all are removed
and washed out split the carcass right
through the center. leaving a small at
tachment near the tail and at the end
Of snout. so as not to Overbalance it.
Az soon as the leaf lard is cold enough
to be principally removed take 1t out.
This will insure the perfect cooling of
more essential Its quick and perfect
j cooling. Never allow meat to freeze
solid or pack 1t In frozen condition, for
1t Is sure to spoil.
Before cutting up the carcass remove
spareribs, tenderloins and any over
plus Of lean meat from the side pork
unless 1t Is converted into bacon. and
evenly divide the width of side pork
from four to five inches. Trim of all
surplus of fat from hams and shout
ers. sAl this will increase the surplus
of sweet lard.
Now for good new barrel or one
that never had the least bit of sour
meat in it. Do not use whisky bar
rel. A kerosene barrel burned out and
soaked for a time with pure water will
do, but new barrel Is always safe.
There are numberless ways of pro
serving meats, but we have reason to
think that all additions of sugar and
the like have tendency to harden and
dry the meats. Cover the bottom OF
the barrel with an inch of pure salt,
pack In the meat, the rind outward. sc
that salt may get between the pieces,
cover again with salt over each layer,
and so on until the barrel is full up to
about five inches. Lay a cover Of clean
new boards on 1t, with stone to weigh
1t down.
Prepare brine Of clean salt and wa,
ter that will bear up an egg and cover
the meat three days after packing. In
about six weeks thereafter take out the
meat, lay 1t on board to drain, take
out the brine in a wash boiler. put it on
the stove and as soon as the scum com
mences to rise skim 1t and continue I'M
til clear before 1t boils.
Rinse the barrel, repack 1t and when
the brine is cold pour Ii on to cover the
meat. Enough water can be added
during the heating and Swimming to
have plenty to cover 1t. Sometimes we
add one ounce Of saltpeter. This, II al.
ways covered with brine, will be sweet
meat II months from date Of packing.
Take the hams and shoulders and
cheeks, rub them well with salt on both
sides, lay on declining board, so as to
have drainage, and cover the flesh side
we'll with salt. Take lot Of fine salt
peter and work 1t In at the end and
around the center bone. Let them re-
main three to four days. Have clean
barrel ready. clean off all the bloody
salt from the meat. pack in the barrel
rind downward and outward, pour on
and cover with brine of pure salt and
water that will bear up an egg.
Hams from hogs Weighing $50 to $50
pounds dressed weight should remain
In this ii days only. Take them out,
drain and dry two or three days, then
smoke them. Soon after smoking COW
er and sew up in any kind Of clean cot
ton cloth. "
At rough estimate there are 10000
600 pairs Of gloves imported into this