quite through the post, one above the other, as
shown in the engraving, for the reception of the horizontal arms. The
latter are six feet long and just large enough to fit closely into the
mortises. They should be of white oak or hickory. At butchering time the
dead hogs are hung on the scaffold by slipping the gambrels upon the
horizontal crosspieces.

ADDITIONAL HINTS ON DRESSING.

Little use of the knife is required to loosen the entrails. The fingers,
rightly used, will do most of the severing. Small, strong strings, cut in
proper lengths, should be always at hand to quickly tie the severed ends
of any small intestines cut or broken by chance. An expert will catch the
entire offal in a large tin pan or wooden vessel, which is held between
himself and the hog. Unskilled operators, and those opening very large
hogs, need an assistant to hold this. The entrails and then the liver,
heart, etc., being all removed, thoroughly rinse out any blood or filth
that may have escaped inside. Removing the lard from the long intestines
requires expertness that can be learned only by practice. The fingers do
most of this cleaner, safer and better than a knife. A light feed the
night before killing leaves the intestines less distended and less likely
to be broken.

[Illustration: FIG. 14. SIMPLE SUPPORT FOR DRESSED HOG.]

HOW TO CUT UP A HOG.

With a sharp ax and a sharp butcher's knife at hand, lay the hog on the
chopping bench, side down. With the knife make a cut near the ear clear
across the neck and down to the bone. With a dextrous stroke of the ax
sever the head from the body. Lay the carcass on the back, a boy holding
it upright and keeping the forelegs well apart. With the ax proceed to
take out the chine or backbone. If it is desired to put as much of the hog
into neat meat as possible, trim to the chine very close, taking out none
of the skin or outside fat with it. Otherwise, the cutter need not be
particular how much meat comes away with the bone. What does not go with
the neat meat will be in the offal or sausage, and nothing will be lost.
Lay the chine aside and with the knife finish separating the two
divisions of the hog. Next, strip off with the hands the leaves or flakes
of fat from the middle to the hams. Seize the hock of the ham with the
left hand and with the knife in the other, proceed to round out the ham,
giving it a neat, oval shape. Be very particular in shaping the ham. If it
is spoiled in the f