St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1916-12-02

and is likely to affect the bavor OF
the meat if dressing is slow aft
er slaughter. However, the hogs
should have plenty of water t"
keep their temperature normal.
1t is important that an animal be
not excited in any way sufficient
to raise the temperature just be-
fore slaughtering.
On the farm it is customary to
stun hogs before sticking them.
Another method is by shooting in
the head with a rifle. II the
rife is used be careful. After
stunning BY a heavy blow on the
forehead just above the eyes, or
after shooting with a rifle, a knife
with a long, keen blade is inserted
into the hogs throat in the under
portion Of the neck, to a point
Just in front of the chest cavity,
but not into this cavity. The
knife is given a twist and a side
ward movement to sever the
blood vessels and is then with
drawn. Elevate the hind parts
Of the hog so that the blood will
flow out freely.
A barrel is thecommonly used
receptacle for scalding. The bar
rel should be set at an angle of
about 80 degrees with the bottom
in a shallow hole. 1t may be Sc
cured by having stakes driven on
each side. Then, il we have table
or platform Of the same height
as the opening Of the barrel set
up against it, scalding becomes
easy. The water for scalding
should be heated to the boiling
point. This will allow for a re-
duction in temperature when the
water is poured into the cold bar
reA The best Temperature for
scalding the hogs is from las to
$50 degrees. Be careful not to
have the water so hot as to cook
tie skin Of the hog, for then the
hair will be set and it will be i'm
possible to get it off without cut
ting it off. A shovelful of wood
ashes or a spoonful of coneen-
trated I've added to- the water will
aid materially in getting all the
scurf off the skin Of the hog,
though it has no effect On remoV-
al of the hair. Scalding should
not be done until all signs of life
are extinct In the carcass. Scald-
ing too soon may cook the tiny
blood vessels near the surface
and result in diseolored skin and
fat. When ready to scald, if it
is suspected that the water is too
hot, dip the hind parts first and
remove them quickly and test the
hair by pulling it. If you scald
the head Of the hog first the wat
er may be too hot and set the
hair on that part most difficult to
scrape. Turn the carcass fire.
quently and test the hair; when is
slips easily the scalding is com
plete.
/. Scraping should be done as
soon as possible after scalding.
Thus we see the advantage of
having the bell scrapers that en-
able us to get the work over with
in the least possible time. Pull
the ears through the hands and
remove as much of the hair from
them in this way as possible and
then do the feet the same way
Merit use the bell scraper on the
fiat surfaces and as much of the
rest of the hog as possible, and fin
ish by scraping the head and in
side the legs with a large and
trong, dull knife.
Cut the skin of the hind legs
at the side of the tendons below
the hook to expose the tendon SO
that a gambrel stick may be in
serted. The next step is to hang
the hog so that his nose clears
the ground. One man can do
this if he has a very long pole
and uses it as he would a lever.
When hung, wash down the car.
cass with hot water, scrape with
a sharp knife to remove any re-
naming hair, and then wash the
carcass thoroughly with cold
water.
In removing the entrails first
split the hog between the hind
legs, separating the bones with
the knife. This is easily done If
The cut IS made directly at the
union Of the bones between the
hams. Run the knife down the
OF the belly, shielding the
point with the fingers Of the left
hand to prevent cutting any Of
the intestines. Split the breast
bone with the knife or a cleayer
and continue the cut down to the
jaws. Cut around the rectum
and pull it down until the kid
neys are reached, cutting with
the knife the tissues that connect
it with the bed. Remove the