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Pickle--One That Will Keep Two Years or More

Put three gallons of cold spring water into a large pan or copper, and with it two pounds of bay salt, six pounds of common salt, two pounds of moist sugar, and three ounces of saltpetre. Let the pickle boil for half an hour, and skim carefully, then pour it into a deep earthen pan with a closely-fitting lid. When cold, it is ready for the meat. A small ham may lie in this pickle two weeks, a large one three weeks, a tongue ten or twelve days, and beef, according to its size and the degree of saltness desired. When the pickle has been used two or three times boil it up and skim carefully: this operation should be occasionally repeated. The pickle will require to be boiled oftener in hot weather than in cold. Every time it is boiled add to it two pounds of common salt, two pints of water, two ounces of sugar, and half an ounce of saltpetre.