The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1909-02-04
Hoc.kilLIno ON The Farm.
How One Farmer Manages This i'm
portant Work.

siders good enough. they may like I,
hear how brother farmer does hil
butchering. and his reasons for hi,
methods. Some people do not feed
their hogs the evening before killing
thinking the feed IL wasted. and thai
the entrails are more likely 10 get rup
tured when too full feed our hogs
the night before killing They are hun
gry as usual. expect the feed. enjoy n
and u seems cruel not TO give them
their last supper There is not much
waste II the entrails are emptied
where the chickens can bet NJ them
Some men knock their hogs down
with n club before sticking, Others
think II more humane TO shoot them
with rife before they are stuck.
have some doubts whether hogs viii
bleed out completely when knocked on
the head or shot before sticking, con
tinues this Pennsylvania writer IN the
Country Gentleman. Others throw n
box over the hog. then tip the Dor
over with the hog In IL lying on his
back, HIS legs up. We catch our hogs
In the pen. put rope around one
hind leg and drive them 20 the place
OF slaughter. put the rope on the leg
because. ms l have fed them and
cleaned the pen. they are not suspi.
oious Of me as they are OF strangers,
and can rope them quicker than q
stranger. from whom they are sure
10 run.
When arrived at the sticking ground
the hog II thrown down and rolled
square on his back: the Knife Is insert.
ed Just forward Of the breast bone
and close 10 II. then thrust back in the
direction Of the tail This is sure 10
sever the big arteries In the neck and
Insure a good stick" which causes
the hog 10 bleed out more quickly and
thoroughly. and the pork will keep
better. In sticking a hos lying on his
side. the sticker IL quite likely 20
thrust the knife noder the shoulder
blade and cause the BLOOD 10 settle
there. 10 the injury OF one shoulder. A
hos will bleed out cleaner n the head
Is kept on lower ground than the tail.
In the great slaughter houses In Chi.
cago. the hogs are never stuck until
after being hung up by one hind leg
on an Iron rod overhead. After being
stuck. they go slowly sliding down the
rod 10 the place where they are low.
cred into the scalding tank.
Farmers hog killing is not generally
done until cold weather comes. and
sometimes not after Christmas. and
In this locality In mostly done out OF
doors. II frequently happens that the
day appointed II cold and windy. and
sometimes showing. but the prepare.
tons being all made. and the help on
hand. the farmer resolves TO 20 through
with Il. lie does so. and sometimes
catches n horrible cold. as have done
more than once on butchering day.
am OF the opinion that on every farm
where several hogs are 20 be killed ey.
cry year. there should be cheap
house built on purpose for butchering
and boiling potatoes and pumpkins for
hogs. and Il could also be used as a
washhouse for washing clothes. Il
should stand ms near the water supply
as possible, as large quantity OF wa.
ter is necessary In butchering.
My father built such a house. in
which our hogs were scalded, dressed.
hung up and Quilted without dlscom.
fort even on a very cold day. At one
end there was a chimney. with a large
fireplace and crane. on which two big
kettles were hung for heating water.
One end OF a big scalding barrel was
put down through a hole IN the floor
placed at an angle OF about as de.
grees TO make Il easier 10 put the hogs
In. surge them. and pull them out
For large. heavy hogs there was
rope and pulley blocks attached to
rafter overhead by means OF which
they were easily handled and the pull.
leys we're also used Ia hang the hogs
up. Small hogs were quicker handled
without the use OF the pulleys. The
hogs were hung up to joists overhead.
where they were rlnsed down. scraped
and Quilted.
The most important thing about
butchering las every farmer knows)
Is TO get a good scald. so that the hair
can be easily and quickly removed by
tho serapers. II is better 20 have the
water too cold than too hot. for the
cold scald" can be remedled by an
application OF hotter water; but
scald with the water too hot sets"
the hair 80 that the skin. being cooked.
will scrape OF with the hair, making
Il necessary 10 shave of the hair with
sharp knife, doing a poor Job and
requiring much time. Some butchers
think they can tell the proper temper.
ature Of the water by putting their
hands I'm II. which is rather doubtful.
The exact temperature can be secured
svery time by the use OF thermom.
eter For large S00.pound hogs 40
degrees IL about right. For small hogs
and pigs the water should not be
above $50 or 100 degrees. and then
hey should not be kept In the bath
loo long.
Hogs should be left hanging until
oil 80