The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1856-09-10

"hu ueso'atlon of empty pockets.
Aud how easily is this TO be AVOIDED,
No animal can be raised with less outlay
than tho hog. The offal of the plantation,
scorned by other stock, is to him luxu.
ry, and this is why ] say this animal is
reared with less expense. But still he
must have attention if you wish him to
thrive. DO not be satisfied with giving an
order that the hogs are to be sess 10
make ii portion Of CIR weekly business,
while it IS the daily business of the stock.
m'nder. |, perhaps, have more cause to
content myself with bought meat than
most Of you, because the situation of nv
plantation renders it necessary for me to
have miles Of damming and ditching, and
all know the habits of this alS,beir
roofing propensities, which ruin bitches
and dams. And l must confess l have
been strongly tempted to expel them from
the premises. but the question would
arse, would This be good policy7 Iwas
compelled 10 answer, it would not; and
so raise rooters and repair their dam
ages. Aud, although there is great room
for improvement in my management. of
hogs, l am happy to state that | have
been for some years, in the habi. ofsellne
rather than buying pork and bacon. 1t
Is true bought meat last fall and the fall
before, but it was because had sold on,
too closely the spring preceding, and, as
l had sold at higher prices than ] bought,
made by that operation.
Hog raising has always been neglected
ms Ia, L.
little p'g-root or die" seems to have
been the motto of our fathers and grarui.
tathers, and has described to us. But.
while IN these ancestral times there were
mighty forests in which battalions of hogs
could have found provision, there are now
III our possession blt few acres of wood,
y'e'dmg, grant, mast to assist in his
feeding, but not giving him that sullicien-
cey OF nourishment, which brings to the
knife the well fatted, well mea,ed hog.
liow 10 bring about this most desirable
end, with the least expense of corn feed
ing, Is a knowledge that we all covet. and
which we hope this discussion will give us.
The bringing in of each mans quota of
experience, will, we hope raise up Tor us a
system of hog culture, which will make
our animals equal those of Tennessee
and know of no one, to wham we can 30
Tor more or better digested information,
than my friend and neighLor, Jonathan
Miller, who, even when a boy, knew his
fathers hogs by name, and who, in his
turn, will discuss this subject con anaort.
But to proceed to my subject of hog
culture, and to give you some of my ideas
with regard to improving our stock.
FIRST, IN reterence to the breed Of hogs
desirable, | should select well shaped sows
of a thriving and shifting habit. / do not,
perhaps, lay sufficient stress upon the
naaGes OF the breeds, am not certain
but what it is best to minye breeds so as
to get the good points Of several breeds
concentrated in the hy brid. The boar
should be changed every two or three
years, 10 prevent the deterioration, which
'n-antin breeding inevitably produces in
animals as well as human stock. think
my own stock is now suffering from my
csrelessness in this Particular. At frs,
view this frequent change may seem ex
pensive and troublesome, but can we not
adopt some plan which would obvia,e
both these objections Could not several
OF us get good boars of different breeds.
each getting onea At the close of the
hrst twelve months could not my mex,
neighbor and ] change! and SO on, till
each member had had the use Of each
boar twelve months. BY that time our
stock would have no affinity 20 the frs,
boar, and each one could commence anew
with his own, and the same rounds 90 on
and thereafter selections from our own
stock would, perhaps, be as fine as any
imported boar.
So much for breed, but after we have
the breed, We must do all We can to i'm.
prove 1t by care and good feeding. In
this have the benefit Of two grasses Of
which we have all had great horror-Nut
and bermuda. In my pasture, where
they rule with undispu,ed away, my hogs
rerel from the time. they leave the field
until they run upon those fields again.
fumpkins, cowreas, ground nuts, ground
arlichokes, and have heard, Madeira
vines, are all good edibles Tor hogs they
will all fatten and give sweet meat, but
some corn is essential, particularly before
killing, 10 harden the fat. Ny own plan
is 10 separate the killing hogs from the
rest Of the stock about September-pot
TO allow them so wide range, as quiet is
essential to the laying on Of .at. Give
them plenty Of water and have their food
convenient, SO that they can eat whenever
disposed, and salt as they require. My
own opinion is thai every good planter
will endeavor to raise bis own meat, OH
the score Of good policy as we'll as ccono.
my. Ii ne oay cur meat we are ap, 10
Imagine little piece saved off Of each al
lowance will help the cause, and We skimp
here and trim there, tillwe pride ourselves
on making an allowance in every ten
the consequence is there is an empty cor.
ncr in each OF the ten byead; kasIeis which
that little skimp and tnnlswoula lave left
comfortably filled. Ifyoumake,yapr own
meat, your heart sweIs with noble phi
lanthropy. l. is not then 4 Question of
"how many. dollars | have to pay out 7"
but . II have made this meat md nv ne
crOeS shall enjoy fheir ,;obtfuL sh,,.a r. :,