PAGE 2
arm
BEST METHODS OF BUTCHERING AND
pURING PORK ON AVERAGE FARM
Plans Used to Good Advantage by Farmers and
Pork Raisers: Some of the Most Practical Meth-
ods Employed Under Varying Conditions.
Former Governor Lowden, of illi-
xiois, in addressing the cotton reduc
tion convention in Memphis, recently,
eaid that the reason the average far
mer gives for -his-failure to produce
-the pork consumed on his place is
that as only a portion of the hog can
be used upon his farm as pork, it is
cheaper to produce the hogs, sell tllem
and then purchase the necessary pork
. supply from the packer. Theoretically
- there may be something in such a be
lief, but it is just this idea which has
resulted in our failure to produce the
pork to supply our own needs. It is
also a fact, that the small farmer who
produces only a few hogs a year can
not, as a rule, market them profitably
unless he is in position to do so in co-
- operation with other farmers. We tbe
lieve that the south should be self-
- supporting in so far as its pork supply
is concerned. In some cases it may be
more profitable to sell the live hog and
buy the cured product, but at any rate
We should produce the hogs, no matter
whether we market them to ourselves
or to the packer. Many farmers, how
ever, will find it profitable to cure
their own pork and it is for their in
formation that this article is written.
Perhaps another reason why the
farmer often fails to supply his own
pork needs here in the south is the
poor success that is often encounter-1
ed in curing pork on the farm. As a 1
general thing, country-cured meat is
Bubject to three common faults. First,
it often carries too much fat, especial
ly the side pieces. Second, it is some
times so fed, dressed, and cured as to
taint the meat with undesirable odors.
JThird, it is frequently too salty. Of
these faults, the first two may be cor
rected by the proper selection, feed
ing, and dressing of the animals
which are to be slaughtered.
The Kind of Animal to Butcher.
Animals weighing from 175 to 225
pounds are best for butchering when
the meat is to be cured at home. The
bighest quality of meat cannot be
made from animals rolling in fat, and
it is likewise true that the muscles
of a thin hog are tough and the meat
tfrom such animals lacks the juiciness
-and good flavor so characteristic of
,well-marbled pieces of meat from
-suitable conditioned animals.
The animal must be fed properly if
"Well-cured meat is to be obtained.
)IVhen fed too liberally on slops or
Ceeds like peanuts which produce an
oily carcas, the meat is undesirable
from several standpoints. In order
to have a firm, well-cured meat it
is advisable to feed the hogs mostly
on corn or a mixture of one part corn
and three or four parts cottonseed
meal for a period of 30 to 60 days be
fore killing. This insures firm meat
nd lard, and makes curing easier.
Killing.
" It is generally supposed that zero
weather furnishes the best tempera
ture for hog-killing. This is not a
fact. A clear, cold, crisp day should
be chosen, and when the day promises
to continue cold, the hogs may be
killed in the forenoon. If the day is
likely to be a warm, one it is better
and safer to kill in the afternoon.
The hogs to be slaughtered should
be given no feed but plenty of clean
water for 24 hours prior to killing.
This is quite important, for as soon
as a hog is killed, fermentation be
gins in the intestines and, if there is
a delay :'n butchering, this fermenta
tion may be sufficient to taint the
meat. In addition to this reason for
withholding the feed, we have the add
ed Tact that it is easier to bleed a
bog that is not gorged with feed and
the meat cures . better. Again, there
is no necessity of wasting feed, and
it is wasted when given the animal
just before killing. While this waste
of feed may seem to be a small item,
the Iowa Experiment Station esti
mates that with 50,000,000 hogs killed
annually in the United States, it will
mean enough corn saved to produce
approximately 50,000,000 pounds of
pork.
The tools and equipment necessary
to accomplish the killing and dressing
properly include the following:
A common 6 or 8-inch butcher knife,
a steel, a hog hook, hog scraper (dull
butcher knife will do) and a kettle
for heating water.
For scalding, a small platform or
table w'th a barrel slanted up to one
end. This makes a convenient place
to scrape and after this has been done
the same table can be scalded and
scrubbed thoroughly and used for a
cutting table. There should also be
a was of hanging the hog after the
body is scraped.
Of the methods used in killing hogs,
sticking without previously stunning
the animal is best. The animal should
be placed on its back and an incision
made just in front of the breast bone
It an angle of about 30 degrees or in
)ther words with the point of the
rnife toward the root of the tail.
Heeding, may be hastened by sus
nding the animal by the hind legs:
Scalding-.
As soon as the animal is dead, the
body should be placed in warm water,
rear end first, and kept in, motion
ionstantly until the bristles along the
ack slip easily. Some think the
rater should be heated to 190 degrees
'arhenheit, but at this temperature
he bristles, may,, be , set, and some
imes so high a temperature will cook
lie skin of young or thin-skinned
animals. A temperature of from 150
to 160 degrees seems best. The head
ind feet should be cleaned first after
And County
scalding because they are the hard
est to get clean if they once get cold.
After the hair has been fairly well
scraped off, the hog is hung and the
cleaning continued, using hot water
at first and finishing with cold, water.
A sharp knife should be used to shave
off any hair that was not removed
by scraping. The head and internal
organs are then removed. Thi3 should
be done before gasses develop in the
intestinal tract.
After dressing, the carcass should
be opened as wide as possible in
front, washed with clean, cold water,
and then left hanging until the. fol
lowing morning. In fact, when the
weather is cold, the hog should be left
undisturbed until the thickest pieces
of meat are thoroughly chilled to the
bone, as it is necessary to have all
the animal heat out of the meat be
fore salting, or souring will occur
near the bone in the larger pieces. It
sometimes happens, however, that the
weather turns warm, and in this case,
the body is cut into rough pieces soon
after the hog is dressed, so that cool
ing may, proceed more rapidly.
As to curing, there are two meth
ods; the dry cure and the brine cure.
Many farmers have obtained good re
sults by using the dry cure, but we
have found that dry cured meat often '
becomes too dry, hard, and salty. With I
the dry cure, it is also more difficult
to work the salt down to the bone
and the danger of losing the meat is
increased about 50 per cent. For
those who care to use the dry cure,
we suggest the following:
Dry Cure.
Make a mixture of clean fine salt
40 pounds, white or brown sugar 10
pounds, white or black pepper 4
pounds, red pepper y2 pounds. This
will make enough cure for about 1,000
pounds of pork. If saltpeter is de
sired, use 2 pounds in the above mix
ture. It will give a red color to the
lean meat, but has a tendency to
harden the meat too much. Chili
saltpeter may be used instead of the
regular saltpeter by taking about 20
per cent less.
Rub each piece of meat thoroughJy
with the salt mixture. Take special
care to work the salt around the ends
of . the bone of ham and shoulders.
Pack skin down on a table or bo.' in
a cool, dry place. Do not place in
direct sunlight, or in a damp, musty
cellar. After four or five days over
haul the meat, rub thoroughly with
the salt and repack; repeat this in
about a week. Hams and shoulders
should remain in the cure from iy2
to 2 days per pound weight of the
piece; the latter time is safer for
meat that is to be kept during the
summer. Bacon should be in the
salt a shorter time. Ten days will
give a very nice mild cure to six or
eight pound pieces.
Brine Cure.
Prof. Dan T. Gray of the Alabama
Experiment Station suggests the use
of the brine cure and has given the
following instructions in North Caro
lina Experiment Circular No. 4 as to
the use of the brine cure, smoking,
etc.
To each 100 pounds of meat:
12 pounds common salt.
3 pounds brown sugar.
3 ounces saltpeter.
6 gallons water. i
As the brine must be perfectly cool
when the meat is immersed, it should
De made tne clay before using. Ordi
nary syrup may be used in place of the
sugar. All the above articles should
be placed in a kettle and boiled gent
ly for about one hour. Any kind of a
clean vessel, as an earthen jar or
wooden barrel, may be used for hold
ing the brine and meat; clean syrup
barrels are very easily obtained. Ex
treme care, however, should be ex
ercised, to obtain new and thorough
ly clean barrels; old and tainted bar
rels should never be used. After the
pieces of meat are neatly trimmed
into the proper shape and size they
should be laid in the barrel with- the
meat side up, a heavy weight placed
upon them and the brine poured in
to a depth not less than two inches
aoove the top. piece of meat. The
brine should be examined everv few
days as it sometimes becomes ropy.
especially during a long period of
warm weather. If the brine shows
signs of becoming ropy, or tainted,
the trouble can usually be, checked.
by removing the meat, dropping in a
small amount of common soda and
stirring well. If this treatment does
not immediately correct the trouble,
the meat should be taken out, each
piece thoroughly washed, and put
down again m new brine and barrels
The small pieces of meat should re
main in the brine 30 to 40 days. At
one time the writer kept 38 hams of
various size m a brine for 52 days
The small hams were in the brine
too many days and became somewhat
too salty. Fifty-two days was not,
however, too long a brine period for
the greater hams.
Smoking1.
Atter the meat has been in the
brine a sufficient length of time, it
should be taken out, hung in the
smokehouse, allowed to drip two or
three days and the smoke applied. If
the smokehouse will not hold the
smoke, then it is necessary to pro
long the smoking period. When the
house is tight and the fire kept burn
ing continuously there seems to be no
reason why the meat should be smok
ed more than three or four days. Corn
cobs, hickory chips, and various other
THE HENDERSONVILLE NEWS, HENPERSONVILLE, N. C.
"
woods are used for producing the
smoke.
Sacking the Meat.
As soon as the meat has been suf
ficiently smoked, the ventilators and
windows should be opened and the
warm air permitted to escape. When
the meat is thoroughly cooled, it
should be prepared for the summer
season. The majority of farmers per
mit the cured meat to hang in the
smokehouse, unprotected from flies
and other insects, during the spring
and summer months. This is n un
wise thing to do, unless the house
has a cement floor, is dark, and all
openings are thoroughly protected by
wire screening. Meat which hangs
unprotected in the average smoke
house is almost sure to become in
fected with skippers. It should be
taken down and prepared1 for. the sum
mer season. The individual pieces of
meat should be first wrapped closely
with old newspapers or wrapping pa
ner. They should then be placed in
strong sacks (flour sacks will do)
and each bag tied tightly at the top.
The sacks should then be hung ex
actly where they are fo stay until
taken down to be eaten or sold, and
painted on the outside with a solution
so as to exclude all flies and skip
pers. A thick paste of ordinary lime,
glue, and water will answer the pur
pose very well. A better paste, but
one somewhat tedious to make, may
be made of the following materials:
. For 100 pounds of hams and bacon:
3.0 pounds of barytes (barium sul
phate). .06 pounds of glue.
OS pounds of chrome yellow (lead
chromate).
.40 pounds of flour.
Fill a three or four gallon bucket
half full of water and mix in the flour.
Dissolve the lead chromate in a quart
of water in a separte vessel and add
this solution and the glue into the
flour water. Bring this to a boil and
while boiling add the barium sulphate
slowly, stirring constantly. The solu
tion should be spread on the outside
of the sack with an ordinary paint
brush. Progressive Farmer.
WEST HENDERSON YILLE.
rude -in I TheL-a Kins
spent the week-end with their par
ents, Mr. and Mrs. M, King, of Crab
Creek.
Born January 28 to Mr. and Mrs.
Woodson Drake a son.
Mr. and Mrs. Glapsy Newman
spent Sunday with Mr., and Mrs. J.
L. Newman.
The little infant of Mr. and Mrs.
Singletary Sentell died Saturday of
pneumonia. The burial service took
NO FARMER
Old Price $625
I
ews
4.
place at Green River Sunday.
Panning Saltz of Pisgah Forest
spent the week-end with his parents,
Mr. and Mrs. J. A. Saltz.
Misses Mantilee McCall and Mae
Belle Osteen were the week-end guests
of Mrs. Wi S. Pace.
Born January 22, to Mr. and Mrs.
Will Heaton, a daughter.
Johnny.
EDNEYVILLE.
James Hipps, who has been con
ducting a singing school at Edney
ville church, will close the school
Friday and Friday night with songs
and recitations given' by the school.
THe News' correspondent of 'this
place last week made a mistake by
saying Miss Daisy Barnwell had
charge of the high school work here
this year. Frank Clark was princi
pal both this year and last, and Miss
Barnwell was his assistant this year.
Mr. Clark came here and took charge
of the school two years ago when
there were only eight to ten children
going daily. Now he has an enroll
ment of one hundred and sixty and
grades running through the ninth. I
think the entire community jvill join
me in saying Mr. Clark certainly did
his best to make for EdneyviUe a
better school than it was two years
ago. To him we owe this credit and
we truly hope he will be our princi
pal next year.
Mrs. R. Edney.
HOLLY SPRINGS.
Mrs S. A. Gash had as her week-
end guest her daughter, Miss Lucile
Hubbard, from Brevard, and her
brother, Thomas Moore.
R. M. Brannon is the guest of his
daughter, Mrs. Shem Allison
Mr. and Mrs. Jesse Stepp were en
tertained on Saturday night by E.
Allison nd sons, Rankin and Ray
mond, whose violin music was very
much enjoyed.
L. F. Gash was the dinner guest
of his mother, Mrs. Rachel Gash, on
last Friday.
A. W. Gash is remodelling his
dwelling.
Shack Anderson is living in the
old Murray homestead.
Thomas Underwood, Miss Sally
Green Allison, Mrs. Mary Hollings
and Mrs. Harry Moffitt are on the
sick list.
T. V. Carland visited his parents,
Mr. and Mrs. H. W. Carland, at Mills
River on last Wednesday.
"SPRAY EARLY AND SAVE YOUR
CROP." HUNTER'S PHARMACY,
INC., FOR SPRAY MATERIALS.
2-10-3tc
BIG
EFFECTIVE JAN. 27-22
HEW FRIGE
(OP
F. O. B.
New Price $395
SHOULD BE WITHOUT A TRACTOR AT THIS
THIS IS A FO
IWI ft
FORD AND FORDSON SALES AND SERVICE
HENDERSONVILLE, N. C.
BLUE RIDGE.
Pink McCall of Flat Rock spent the
week-end here with friends.
Mrs, N. O. Fausler, who has been
quite ill, is improving.
Shannon Mitchell of Fruitland In
stitute is at home for a few days.
Mrs. Sarah Knight, owner of Sunny
Field Farm, is having some additions
made to her home.
The school at Pace Hill closes Fri
day, February 3. Miss Ruby Edwards,
teacher, has done some excellent
work. 1
Mr. and Mrs. F. A. Nib lack had the
following dinner guests Sunday,. 29th:
Mrs. Harriet Hyder, King; Justice and
daughters, Misses Mae and Joansie
and Pink McCall.
N. O. Fausler has been in, Asheville
for several days on business.
FLAT ROCK: DRIVE..
Fralo Kuykendall is expected, home
this week from Greenville where; lie
has been on a business- trip..
Mrs. O. r S. Kuykendall returned
home from; Spartanburg where she
attended the Billy Sunday meeting; ,
Miss Gena Bradburn, who has been
very ill, is improving.
Mrs. ,-Henry Hamilton-, and. children;
SPECIAL ON COFFEE
For Saturday and Monday Only
Chapin's Favorite Coffee, 2V2 Ifc cans with gold ! band: dT
Cup and Saucer with each can, per can
Phone 307
We have all heard about
clean."
The Hew Broom Story
While we are not a new broom we have the newest hard
ware store in Henderson county and we-have no high old
prices to sweep out. That accounts for our convincing price
talks Get the price before you buy.. I
Successors to Hendersonville Harness & Buggy Co
Opposite Court House
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DETROIT
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FRIDAY, FEBKUAKYT3; 1922
were the guests of Mrs. H.. P. Kuy
kendall Sunday afternoon.
Misses Mary Stepp and. Gertrude.
King visited, friends and relatives at
Pinnicle last week.
Lee Hoots has returned to Lynch
burg, Va.,. after visiting, friends on.
the Flat Rock road. .
"Weedie.V
GYPSY ATO MIIXS RIVER.
p. B. Lance had. the misfortune. Sat-
T.,iiv afternoon to set his right arm
broken while, working with a wood
saw
Misses Ellem and . Sue Meece. spent.
Sunday afternoon with; Miss Pauline
:West. . T
Miss . Blanche: and : Thurman Lance,
Vho have, been, ill, are abler to . be out
again; , '
C J. Jeffress; has" returned; home;
from Lakeland, Fla,,. where he- has
he&ir on- real ! estate business the past
FARM. AND. COUNTY NEWS'
(Continued on. Page? 6)
WATCH'. OUR STORE ! WINDOWS:
AND THEN WATCH ; YOU W WIFE.
BUY YOUR FURNITUREoHERE . AND
LIVE : A HAPPY LIFE. . CHAi?;. ROZ
ZELLE. ltc
The Bargain Store of ' Quality. " "
Seventh Avenue, East of Depot
the "new broom sweeping.
eduction $23
NEW PRICE
r
1 ' . :