The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1841-06-10
RUR.sE ECONOMY.
From The turner's Gasette.
HOGS


Mr.. Editor There has been much
said in various parts Of the country, upon
the subject Of hogs, the different breeds, and
the various modes Of managing them, but
IN our state there have been very few com.
municailons seen in the agricultural works
upon The subject. What can be the rea
son! Has the raising OF hogs been carried
to such perfection as 10 reduce !, TO SCI
euce l. there sufficient pork raised to
stjoply our common wants and demands T!
or are the planters all asleep to their
own interest The fact ~, our planters
do not raise pork sufficient for their own
consumption, much less TO supply the small
demands of our inland markets; couse
oucnlly thousands Of dollars are carried
out of our State, annually, large por.
ton Of /, silver taken from the vaults Of
our banks, not only for pork, but for horses
aud mules aud still the scarcity Of money
is the common complaint. 10 my opinion
this error might 10 very easily corrected
if we would all engage heartily in the bust
ness. Tho plan lha, | would suggest,
would DO for each farmer 10 plant less cot
ton, aud Increase tho grain crop; which
gram being iudiciousiy and Systematically
CONSUMED upon our farms, IN raising such
domestic lulmas, would ultimately resul,
in Increasing the value OF our lands and The
quantity Of our cotton crops.
Ia my opinion, in the slave holding States,
ans other animal with the exception Of the
horse, can lie dispensed with in preference
10 tho hog the reason IS that II ailords for
our negroes a more suitable, a more sub
stautia and cheaper food than any other
animal, and supplies our tables with dellc
ious han, short Of which our southern eph
cures would not 10 satisfied The hog,
then, beng SO valuable, we should study
closely, and experiment particularly, 10
dad oui the most economical plan OF feed
iug, and what species Of hog viii remuner.
ale Us best tor our attention.
Tha, there is often great difference IN
the value Of hogs Of the same weight IS, or
ought 10 be, known TO evory breeder aud
CONSUMER, 10 The consumer, because the
ilesh Of some is tender and sweeier than the
flesh Of others, aud because the most yalua.
bic parts. such as the ham, side. shoulder
and lard Ia some, are heavier ~ proportion
than ~ others to the breeder, because one
hog Yields greater weight Of marketable
pork, for the same amonn, Of food than
another. A nor OF large head, ears and
ttei has commonly large bones Throughout
IS slow grower, large consumer, and 10
thrifty.
There orc various breeds, or forms oI
hogs, consider the name and color, whelh
or gtiie or black, without the form. per.
feet matter &C iuunnshine; but | admire a
slmencss 10 color, rs tho best stock OF cur
country, ln;h cnil!e and hogs, differ very
litsle 10 their respective eolors and the pc
cuian'y OF lbe color proves ihs, they have
no, been crossed ~ spurious animals Tor
sescrai generations. For the fol- color Of
the spurious bl"oa would occasionally show
hscI even after beng h.d Cor sogeral zen.
efl.,aus. The ha. most commonly fed il
tbs country t3r might have sad starved,
IS the common pine raoter, called By some
the scrub hog, uy some tho alligator, by
others the hud pike They tell Tor them
selves hrrrSer seen ! can compare 'h"m
to nothing more appropriate than tho bench
Of au Old woman's spinning wheel II has
iapr les SO haye Tiny There ARE sever
al other SPECIES Of hogs interspersed
through Ia, country, such as the Guinea,
the China, ;hc Thin Rlned. few Of the
Berkshire, ard another hog called the
Kentucky hog. No read and hear Of va
nous other aames Of hecs with which | mn
not amdias. They MI have their fayoruet
and supporters; and, "a fact, any II them
mas DO vastly improved IN their form aud
propensity TO take on lesh by jud,ciou'
course O! ieeding and breeding
~ eur common brccas have been en-
dcavouria. for some length Of time 10 DIS
card all hogs with great length Of legs and
shot,uess Of bodj, nod to select those With
the shor,cs, legs and the greatest length
aud szn Of body. The Guinea aud China
both have great propensity TO take on flesh
and are se,y small eaters, bot do not &C
qulre siZn; either crossed with the large
bone breed msies o very fine hog. The
hog called the kcnlneky hog, from bolng
purchased from the dfoycrs from that
State, 10 my opinion backed BY experience
is not a desHahIo hog on accom-, oi the
great size and length OF legs, with the
disadvantages attending snch. The Ken
tucklnns breed them, not because they are
most economically fed, bot because lhcy
are better roads,cfs Ia their great SIZE
and length Of legs, they combine both the
property Of boz and horse, inasmuch a,
they convey their own carcasscs to distant
market they travel very well, but some o
our native hogs make decidedly better "a.
GERS,
But my own experience proves to me
that their form may be changed into almost
any shape IN course Of time, by careful
selection of breeders. The boar partlcu
larly should be selected as near as possible
Of whatsoever focm we would have our
stock. ! have been fully satisfied by my
own observation, that one crossed by a
boar Of any desired breed, will 20 further