Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-12-28
| |
How to Get the Largest Re-
turns from Your Land.
The Farm Rutcherina.

1 The Farm Butchering.
Memory easily goes back to the time
when, as schoolboy, plea was com
menced in good time to be allowed to
stay at home the day the hogs were
killed. More interest centred in this
important event than it was possible to
stir up in regard to school books and
duties,
Much interest was always taken in
the work of the person using the rifle.
The wish always was that the shot
should be a good one and there be no
suuealing, but sometimes deplorable
failures were made, and the work must
be finished with the pole Of an axe.
These last scenes detracted from the
enjoyment had in the other part Of the
work.
But as the years passed on and the
boyish enjoyment gave place to the
responsibility of getting this work
properly done. the work became more
real and earnest; and, when finished,
the workmen were glad to rest from
real labor, rather than that fatigue
caused by boyish pleasure.
The passage of the sausage chopping
block, as well as the first cutting mill,
are easily WllHlIl Tic lCdSlh Va ii'~AAAOA -
Aside from the improvement in the
way of cutting sausage, much farm
butchering is done in about the same
manner that it was forty years ago.
AS done in the main on the farm II
extends over from one to three days
before the evidences Of the work all
disappear about the woodward or other
place where the water has been heated.
Sometimes the pole on which the hogs
are hung to be cleaned and cooled may
remain for weeks before being taken
down.
Not very many farmers have build
ing in which to do this work, ana phe
signs are now that fewer OF these
buildings will be built and in use IN the
future than heretofore. 1t seems now
harder to get this work done thah
formerly, when there was much tradlne
of help in the neighborhoods, to get II
done without much outlay of cash; and
now that it is so hard to get house help,
the burden falls more heavily on the
women of the family, for it is not an
easy or enjoyable undertaking, con-
sidering the fact that they can nardly
have it all off their hands in less than
two or possibly three days. OFTEN IN
the farm papers suggestions are mace
to help in doing this work in an easier
wav than that in which it is usually
performed.
Hog killing, proper, on the majority
of farms comes only once year. skill
has much to do with the ease ana
rapidity with which this work is done
When a farmer tries his hand only once
a wear at this work, he can by ne
means be termed an expert. Whethel
he sticks. scalds, cleans the animal, OF
renders the lard there is enough OF the
uncertain hanging over all he under
takes to make him to a certain degree
slow in the motion. Surely very many
farmers would gladly turn TINS hos
killing over to professionals, If done al
n reasonable cost and in a workman
like, neat and clearly way
Several years ago a strong, muscular
colored man, handy at this work, beSah
killing hogs for the village people ana
the nearby farmers. Over trench aug
in the ground he placed an oblong Dox
or tank, probably feet long by teet
wide at the top, and narrower at the
bottom. A platform was built even
with the top of this tank. from which
the hogs were rolled into the tank and
out again, as scaided. The water was
kept the desired temperature by lire IN
the trench under the box.
From this mans start and work. at
tention has been drawn to the matter;
and now that he has passed from the
stage of action another man in the same
village has taken his place. In the
town of Frankfort, one mile distant,
1. rf,,.lyi i'm .lt if
some wears. The latter has a small
building in which he hangs the hogs TO
cool. and afterward cuts them up. The
scalding is done in a wooden tank'
feet long, 2 feet deep and feet wide at
the TOP. This has a sheet iron bottom
and rests on walls arranged to give
good draft for the fire. This scaldihS
tank is under an open shed. at the end
of the building named. A truck, with
floor of required size, and height even
with the top of the scalding tank, rs
run back and forth on the track, as
used, from the cooling and cutting
room to the scalding tank. Near the
scalding tank is a small pen, into which
the hogs are driven as needed TO be
killed. The killing is done by the use
of a rife in the hands of a good-sized
lad, that makes ABOUT one Ill twenty
suueal. This killing pen is floored and
elevated to be even with the floor about
the scalding tank. Near this working
plot the men have a neat building
such as is used by contractors who
build roads, and can be moved from
place to place on a wagon. This build
ing they use for a lodging and
boarding room, as they have their
homes on farms some distance
from their butchering places.
This man tries to accommodate his
customers, doing the work as they
wish. If his customer wants his hogs
cleaned and cut into their several parts,
without trimming the hams, sides, etc.
he will do 1t for SO cents per head for
hogs weighing 200 to 800 pounds.
Where they weigh 400 to 500 pounds, he
charges IS cents per head. If his
customer wants the finished product
ready from his hands to salt away, he
will put it in this shape. All the pieces,
hams, sides and shoulders are neatly
trimmed; sausage is ground and sea-
soned as directed by the owner the
latter furnishing the seasoning and