LARD. The flit of swine, which dif fers in situation from that of all other animals, as it covers the hog all over, forming a distinct and continuous layer between the flesh and skin, like the blab ber in whales. The usual mode of pre paration is to melt it in a jar, placed in a kettle of water, and then to level it, and run it into bladders that have been clean ed with great care. The smaller the bladders are, the better the lard will keep. The fat which adheres to the intestines differs from common lard, and is used for lubricating wheels of carriages. The great mass of lard business is done in Ohio, having Cincinnati for the centre; and most of the lard oil is expressed there.
In Cincinnati it is calculated that about 11,000,000 lbs. of lard was run into lard oil this last year, two-sevenths of which aggregate will make stearine, the residue oil, say about 20,000 barrels of 42 gallons each. Much the larger share of this is of inferior lard, made of mast-fed and still-fed hogs, the material, to a great extent, coming from a distance —hence the poor quality of western lard oil. Lard oil, besides being sold for what it actually is, is also used for adulterating sperm oil, and in France serves to mate rially reduce the cost of olive oil—the skill of the French chemists enabling them to incorporate from 60 to 70 per cent. of lard oil with that of the olive. There is also an establishment in that city, which besides putting up hams, &e.,
is extensively engaged in extracting the grease from the rest of the hog. It has seven large circular tanks, six of capacity to hold each 15,000 lbs., and one 6,000 lbs. These receive the entire carcass with the exception of the hams, and the mass is subjected to the steam process, under a pressure of 70 lbs. to the square inch, the effect of which operation is to reduce the whole to one consistence, and every bone to powder. The fat is drawn off by cocks, and the residuum, a mere earthy substance, is taken away for manure. Besides the hogs which reach this factory in entire carcasses, the great mass of heads, ribs, back bones, tail pieces, feet, and other trimmings of the hoes cut up at different pork-houses, are subjected to the same process, in order to extract every particle of grease. This concern only is expected to turn out this season, 3,000,000 lbs. of lard, five-sixths of which is No. 1. Six hundred hogs daily pass through these tanks one day with another.
The stearine expressed from the lard is used to make candles for being sub jected to hydraulic by which three-eighths of it are discharged as an impure oleine ; this last is employed in the manufacture of soap. 3,000,000 lbs. of stearine have been made in one year into candles and soap in these factories, and they can make 6,000 lbs. of candles per average day throughout the year.