to the barrel, and then
a layer of meat, till the cask is full, taking care to use the hand only
in packing in the pieces. When the barrel is headed, the pickle must be
filtered through a coarse cloth; and when perfectly fine, fill up the
cask with the pickle to the bung hole. Let it remain in this state till
the next day, in order to ascertain whether the cask be quite tight, and
then bung it up. Beef or pork cured in this manner will not fail to keep
any reasonable length of time. The too great rubbing of meat will not
keep it the better, it frequently retards the operation of the salt by
filling the outward pores of the meat only to the destruction of the
middle of the piece, which frequently perishes.

SALTING OF BUTTER. After the butter is well worked up and cleared from
the milk, it is ready for salting. The tub in which it is to be
preserved being perfectly clean, should be rubbed in the whole inside
with common salt; and a little melted butter should be poured into the
cavity between the bottom and the sides, before the butter is put in.
Although common salt is generally employed on this occasion, yet the
following composition not only preserves the butter more effectually
from taint, but also makes it look better, taste sweeter, richer, and
more marrowy, than if it had been cured with common salt only. Take of
best common salt two parts, saltpetre one part, lump sugar one part,
and beat them up together in a mortar, so that they may be completely
blended. To every pound of butter, add one ounce of this composition:
mix it well in the mass, and close it up for use. Butter prepared in
this manner will keep good for three years, and cannot be distinguished
from that which is recently salted; but it does not taste well till it
has stood a fortnight or three weeks. To preserve butter for winter use,
take some that is fresh and good in the month of August or September,
and put it into an unglazed jar, in layers about two inches thick, till
the jar is full, within three inches of the top. Make a strong brine of
salt and water, boil and skim it; and when it is quite cold, pour a
sufficient quantity over the butter, so that the brine may be an inch
deep. Tie paper over it, and set it in a cool place. When wanted for
use, cut it no deeper than the first layer till that is all used. Then
cut the second in the same manner, and so on to the bottom of the tub or
jar. By this means there will be no more than a part of one la