“_Rolled Boneless Beef_ (Rolled Beef or Rollettes) consists of plates with a portion of the brisket cut off, the remainder of plate being boned, rolled and wound with twine. It is made from _No. 2_ and _No. 3_ plates of 25 to 40 pounds average. The rolls weigh eight to twelve pounds and are cured in mild brine. “_Prime Mess Beef_ consists of about 100 pounds of plates and 100 pounds of chucks, rumps and flanks per barrel cut into pieces of six to nine pounds. The proportions of the cuts named are varied according to demands and may contain 100 pounds of chucks with the remainder plates, flanks and rumps, or as otherwise specified. This grade is made from heavy _No. 3_ and light _No. 2_ cuts. “_Extra Mess Beef_ contains the same assortment of cuts as Prime Mess, but is made only from _No. 3_ cuts. “_Ramp Butt Beef_ is cut from rumps off the medium and lower grades of rounds, and is boneless except a small piece of tail-bone. The pieces average four to six pounds each. It is sold largely in lumbering districts and to the fisheries trade.” CHAPTER XI HIDES AND PELTS. GREEN HIDES -- CONDITION -- SCORES -- PROD POLE DAMAGE -- CLEAN FLOORS -- LEATHER YIELDS -- PATTERN -- PROPER STORAGE FOR HIDES -- GRADING -- GRUBS IN HIDES -- SALT TO BE USED -- BUILDING OF PACKS OF HIDES -- TRIMMING OF GREEN HIDES -- SWITCHES -- SHRINKAGE OF HIDES -- SHEEP PELTS. =Green Hides.=--Next in value to the beef is the hide and the handling, curing, etc., of this particular part of the animal, until it is ready to be delivered requires careful attention to obtain the best results. For convenience in handling green hides a special hide truck, shown in Fig. 51, is usually employed. The platform of the truck is 3¹⁄₂ × 5¹⁄₂ feet, with a 1¹⁄₄ inch hardwood plank eight inches high on one side and on front end. The wheels are about eighteen inches in diameter. [Illustration: FIG. 51.--HIDE TRUCK FOR CARTING BEEF HIDES.] =Condition.=--The first consideration, of course, is the condition of the hide. There has been marked improvement in recent years in the handling of hides. Formerly, where unskilled workmen were killing only a few cattle daily, or weekly, they did not become proficient in the removal of hides and the hide was more or less damaged by scores and cuts. When cattle are killed in large numbers it is necessary to make a division of labor, and instead of one man doing many parts of the work, he simply does one part continuously, and hence becomes very skillful; the “take-off” of the hide, particularly, is improved. That this condition is appreciated by tanners is evidenced by the difference in price paid for country and packers hides; the tanners paying from ³⁄₄c to 1c more per pound for packers hides because the hide has been properly taken off, while a country hide, which is usually taken off by workmen less skilled has been cut and scored, the scores being particularly objectionable.