intestines and remove the gall bladder from its attachment to the liver. Care should be taken not to cut the gall bladder. Now cut through the breast bone, beginning at the front end and cutting upward with a knife through the flesh to the bone. The bone is best cut with a saw, and the cut should be made upward. The “pluck”, which consists of the heart, lungs, and gullet, is removed by cutting across the artery which can be easily seen running down the backbone, and by cutting around the diaphragm close to the ribs. Split the backbone with a saw to facilitate cooling. In cutting, a knife should always be used for cutting through the flesh before the saw is used. If the saw is used for cutting the meat, the cut surface of the meat will have a rough, unattractive appearance. § 17. Cooling the Carcass As a rule, the butchers in Canton cut up the carcass immediately after gutting. This may be necessary in a warm climate where no ice is used to facilitate cooling, in order to prevent the meat from souring, but the meat handles much better if it is cooled before it is cut up. This may be done during the cold weather of the winter season by butchering in the evening and allowing the carcass to cool over night, or by placing the meat in a refrigerator, at a temperature of from 34 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Freshly killed meat absorbs odors very readily and there should be no fresh paint, tar, kerosene, or like substances near the fresh meat. [Illustration: Fig. 8. A good lard hog. Note the full back and hams, short neck, deep sides, short legs, and excellent quality] [Illustration: Fig. 9. Dressed carcass: 1, hams; 2, bacon; 3, fatback; 4, shoulder; 5, jowl; 6, shoulder butt; 7, leaf lard; 8, ribs; 9, fat back and chops; 10, head.] § 18. Cutting up the Carcass After the two halves of the carcass have been cooled, they may be placed on a table with the meat side up. The front legs are removed about an inch above the knee and the hind legs about an inch above the hock. Immediately remove the leaf lard and the kidneys, all in one piece, so as to facilitate cooling, using the hands to strip the leaf lard from its attachment to the sides. Strip out the tenderloin. Divide each half of the carcass into three parts, the shoulders, middle and hams. For cutting through the flesh, a heavy knife with a curved blade is best. A saw should be used in cutting through the bone. Cutting should be across the grain of the meat as much as is possible, in order that the meat will carve better after cooking. § 19. Shoulders