thick cloth during the night; if exposed to the night air they will
become damp and mildew. This way of washing the bed-ticking and
feathers makes them very fresh and light, and is much easier than
the old-fashioned way of emptying the beds and washing the feathers
separately, while it answers quite as well. Care must be taken to dry
the bed perfectly before sleeping on it. Hair mattresses that have
become hard and dirty can be made nearly as good as new by ripping
them, washing the ticking, and picking the hair free from bunches and
keeping it in a dry, airy place several days. Whenever the ticking
gets dry fill it lightly with the hair, and tack it together. HOW TO
CUT UP AND CURE PORK.--Have the hog laid on his back on a stout, clean
bench; cut off the head close to the base. If the hog is large, there
will come off a considerable collar, between head and shoulders,
which, pickled or dried, is useful for cooking with vegetables.
Separate the jowl from the face at the natural joint; open the skull
lengthwise and take out the brains, esteemed a luxury. Then with a
sharp knife remove the back-bone the whole length, then the long
strip of fat underlying it, leaving about one inch of fat covering the
spinal column.

The leaf lard, if not before taken out for the housewife's
convenience, is removed, as is also the tenderloin--a fishy-shaped
piece of flesh--often used for sausage, but which makes delicious
steak. The middling or sides are now cut out, leaving the shoulders
square-shaped and the hams pointed, or they may be rounded to your
taste. The spare-ribs are usually wholly removed from the sides, with
but little meat adhering. It is the sides of small, young hogs cured
as hams that bear the name of breakfast bacon, The sausage meat comes
chiefly in strips from the backbone, part of which may also be used as
steak. The lean trimmings from about the joints are used for sausage,