_Regular Plates._--These are made from the end of the shoulder when this is cut into California hams, and have half of the blade bone with a facing of lean left on. The usual weight averages six to eight pounds. _Clear Plates._--These are the same as regulars except blade bones are never trimmed out. _Dry Salt Butts._--This is a cut made from the fat cheek or jowl, trimmed to average from three to four pounds each and is a uniform cut of the hog. [Illustration: FIG. 136.--LONG CLEAR.] =Curing Dry Salt Meats.=--Dry salt meats, as the name implies, are supposedly salted dry and piled to cure. Being mostly fat, which contains but little moisture, and absorbs but little salt, the fat portion, or cuts consisting principally of fat are easy to cure. Those cuts which contain lean parts, bone or blood vessels need the most careful attention. As a result all cuts of the latter type are pumped by use of hollow needles through which brine solution is forced, varying with the weight and with the cut. A hard rib is pumped more than a short rib. _Dipping._--The meats are usually passed through a dipping tub so as to make the edges moist and cover the entire surface with salt; damp salt being caused to adhere to the edges. _Salt to be Used._--The salt usually used is known as No. 1 Fine or Common salt, evaporated, rather than mined or ground salt. [Illustration: FIG. 137.--EXTRA LONG CLEAR.] _Pumping._--A standard pumping schedule, using an open point needle and common type dry salt pump, would be as follows: STANDARD PUMPING SCHEDULE. Strokes per Products Points Point Dry salt shoulders 4 2 Plates 2 2 Short ribs 7 1 Short clears 7 1 Rib bellies 4 4 Clear bellies 4 1 Hard ribs 10 1 Dry salt pumping pickle should be 100° brine using one pound of saltpetre per gallon. _Overhauling and Piling._--The sides are always piled hollow side up so that pickle made by solution of moisture purging from the meat is contained on the meats. The piles are overhauled at regular intervals so as to insure the meats being subjected to salt at all points. Overhauling should be made: first, eight to twelve days; second, eighteen to twenty-five days; third, forty-five to fifty-five days. Green meats should not be piled to exceed three and one-half feet in height until the third overhauling when they can be stacked higher to make room. [Illustration: FIG. 138.--JOWL (DRY SALT BUTTS.)] =Smoking Dry Salt Meats.=--The following table shows the age, in days, at which dry salt meat should be cured in order to smoke safely; also at which to ship safely; also the cuts that should and should not be pumped: TIME REQUIRED FOR CURING.