Cheraw gazette and Pee Dee farmer. [volume] (Cheraw S.C.) 1838-1839, 1839-11-08
swINE-MAKING PORK.

swlNE-MAKING PORK.
In a very large part Of the United States,
mex, to the cultivation Of grain, the profits
Of the farmer are more dependent on his
pork than any other single item and with.
in few years past the sales oflhat article,
i, is believed, have equalled 10 amount tha,
of any other farm product, wheat excepted.
1t is becoming, therefor, an object Of inter-
est to the country, that tho best breeds of
swine shoud be. selected and dissemina-
ted, and the mos. improved methods OF
fat.ening be adopted, as the saving ola single
dollar on each porker in rearing or fattenisg,
and experience proves i, possible to save
many,) would be the saving Of millions an.
nually. To these the two poiats, the best
breeds and the best mode of fattening, the
attention, Of farmers should be directed.
Fortunately, so far as regards lhe best
breeds of swine, the farmer in the Uaiied
States has the means of procuring those
animals that the common voice of farmers
in this country and abroad, have pronounc.
ed,hebesl for making pork, and which unile
the desired QUALITIES Of size, case of fatten.
ing, and 6neness Of quality. Tho.oare the
Chinese and the Berkshire but though ths
first are superior to all others for quietness,
fneness Of flesh, and rapidly Of fattening,
they are alone, too small 70: profitable iced.
ing, and i, has been found advisable to
cross them with some Of the most approved
common or imported varieties. in order to
give the requisite weight. At the head Of
these varieties, whether for crossing or for
feeding, stand the Berkshire, a breed, which,
ifh is of comparatively recent Introduction,
has, by its valuable qualities, proved itself
worthy Of a more rapid dissemination than
any other breed has ever received in this
country. That the Berkshire pig is in equal
favor abroad where he is best known, 10
eviden, from the following extract which We
make from that standard work, British
Husbandry, and which will also exhibit the
principal characteristics of the animal.
"The Berkshire hog is ofa reddish
brown color with black spots the head well
placed, with large ears, generally Standing
forward. d.sha,ssh--~s'.ns;'s~>- ss''"sn.s VSsf
the eyes. He is short legged, small boned,
and Of rough curly coat, wearing the ap-
pcarance Of both skin and flesh being ofa
coarse quality. Nothing, however. can be
finer than the bacon, (or pork.) and the ami
mails attain to very large size. having not
uncommonly reached the weight Of more
Than 100 stone but from 40 to so. when
completely fa,tcned, is the general average.
The breed has, indeed, obtained such gen.
eral appreciation from the best judges, that
those who wish to improve their stock Of
swine are very generally desirous OF obtain
ing a cross with that race and they arc
consequently dispersed over the most distant
parts Of the country. Some of the best OF
these crosses arc found in Statforlshire from
the progeny ofan animal wcllknown to pig
breeders as the 'Tamworth Boar" The
native breed is also usually crossed at inter-
walls, either with the pure Chinese or the
Tonquin race, and this process is found ne
ccslary to prevent deterioration"
-Fo the berkshire, or to the China crosses,
tho farmer may therefore look with conf.
dence for the bes, breeds Of swine now in
existence E; and he who persists in feeding
the old fastened animals. when better art:
within his reach, mus, find wide difference
between his profits and those Of his neigh.
Dor, who avails himself Of the best animals
the country can produce. Hogs weighing
eight or ten cvt. have occasionally been
produced in this country and the average
weight ofour bcu fa,ted hogs is much be
low 400 pounds.
The profits Of making pork will depend
much on the breed of the animal fed much
on the food used for fahening and much
on tho manner in which the process of feed.
ing is conducted. There can be no doubt
that some farmers have such inferior pigs,
aud feed in such carless and wastcful
manner, that they actually !osc instead oi
gaining by attempting to mako park. AL
most any hog, and i'll almost any candition
or place, will Improve, and give him enough
10 cat, bu, TO probably .tfaHen. not only
must the food be Of the righ, kind and gl,er
in proper manner; bat every necessar
attention should be paid to the comfort
cleanliness and health Of the animal. Th
time requisite for fattenis is OF course dc
pendent on circumstances, such as the con
dtion of the pig when put up, the food uses
age &c. From eigh: TO twelve weeks ma
be said to be the shortest time in whic
hogs can be properly fattcned with goo
care; and under ordinary modes Of ieedin
.bev r,oy raouire q still loDocr term 10