irst cutting, no subsequent trimming will put it into a
form to exactly suit the fastidious public eye. Trim off the surplus lean
and fat and projecting pieces of bone. Cut off the foot just above the
hock joint. The piece when finished should have nearly the form of a
regular oval, with its projecting handle or hock.

With the ax cut the shoulder from the middling, making the cut straight
across near the elbow joint. Take off the end ribs or "spare bone" from
the shoulder, trim the piece and cut off the foot. For home use, trim the
shoulder, as well as the other pieces, very closely, taking off all of
both lean and fat that can be spared. If care is taken to cut away the
head near the ear, the shoulder will be at first about as wide as long,
having a good deal of the neck attached. If the meat is intended for sale
and the largest quantity of bacon is the primary object, let the piece
remain so. But if it is preferred to have plenty of lard and sausage, cut
a smart strip from off the neck side of the shoulder and make the piece
assume the form of a parallelogram, with the hock attached to one end.
Trim a slice of fat from the back for lard, take off the "short ribs,"
and, if preferred, remove the long ribs from the whole piece. The latter,
however, is not often done by the farmers. Put the middling in nice shape
by trimming it wherever needed, which, when finished, will be very much
like a square in form, perhaps a little longer than broad, with a small
circular piece cut out from the end next the ham.

The six pieces of neat meat are now ready for the salter. The head is next
cut open longitudinally from side to side, separating the jowl from the
top or "head," so-called. The jawbone of the jowl is cut at the angle or
tip and the "swallow," which is the larynx or upper part of the windpipe,
is taken out. The headpiece is next cut open vertically and the lobe of
the brain is taken out, and the ears and nose are removed.

The bone of the chine is cut at several places for the convenience of the
cook, and the task of the cutter is finished. Besides the six pieces of
neat meat, there are the chine, souse, jowl, head, fat, sausage, two spare
and two short ribs and various other small bits derived from each hog. A
good cutter, with an assistant to carry away the pieces and help
otherwise, can cut out from 50 to 60 hogs in a day.

CHAPTER VI.

WHAT TO DO WITH THE OFFAL.

Aside from the pieces of meat into which a