The Florida agriculturist., 1905-12-06

scraGgy pieces of the neck and leave
the beef to cool before cutting into
quarters.
Dressing Veal.-Veal for home use
should be dressed in a manner similar
to beef. except that more of the work
should be done with the body hung
up. The calf should be skinned while
warm and entrails removed, the pelvlS
and sternum being split as for beef.
The calf should be over six weeks old,
and will make better veal if allowed
to run with the mother. The fat in
the carcass should be abundant, white
and brittle.
Treatment of hides-The hides of
cattle represent considerable value if
properly salved. To save them is an
easy matter during the cold season in
the North, as they may be rolled up
and kept frozen till disposed of. In
the South and in warm season, how
ever. they should be spread out fiat,
hair side down, the legs, etc, stretched
and all parts well rubbed with COM
mon salt. Particular pains should be
taken to reach all surfaces of the skin.
If more than one skin is to be salted,
they should be spread one on top of
the other and salted as spread, with
the hair side down. Where only one
hide is to be handled, the legs and
head should be folded i'm and the hide
rolled up as soon as salted. Enough
salt should be used to cure the hide
thoroughly if it is to be kept for any
length of time Ten to twelve pounds
of salt will be sufficient for an Ordi-
nary hide.
Dressing Sheep.-Much of the
sleepy flavor of mutton comes from
the generation of gases in the stomach
after the sheep is killed. For this rea-
son they should be dressed as rapidly
as possible. A platform six or eight
inches high is a convenient thing to
work on, and aids in keeping the blood
away from the body, inSuring clean
er carcass. A clean. dry, place is
necessary for neat work. Water or
blood on the wool makes it very diff
cult to dress the animal nicely.
If the sheep is an old one, it may
be stunned before bleeding. If a
young one, the same purpose is served
by dislOcating the neck after cutting
the throat This is accomplished by
putting one hand on the poll or top
the chin, giving a sharp twist upward.
Lay the sheep on it's side on the plat
form with it's head hanging over the
end. Grasp the chin in the left hand
and stick knife through the neck.
just back of the jaw. The cutting
edge of the knife should be turned to-
ward the spinal column and the flesh
cut to the bone. In this way it is
possible to avoid cutting the windpipe.
Split the skin over the back of the
front legs from the dew claws to a
little above the knees. Open the skin
over the windpipe from brisket to
chin, starting it slightly on the sides
of the neck. Split the skin over the
back of the hind legs to the middle
line and skin the bullock. The skin
should also be raised over the udder
region and fanks. Skin around the
hooks and down the hoOfs, cutting to
the hind feet at the two joints. Run
the knife between the cords and bone
on the back of the shins, and tie the
legs together just above the paStern
joints No attempt should be made
to skin the legs above the hook until
after the carcass is hung up. Hang
the sheep up by the hind legs and
split the skin over the middle line.
Start at the brisket to fist off the
skin. This is done by grasping the
edge of the pelt firmly in one hand,
pulling it up tight and working the
other with fist closed between the