Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1859-02-12
NJ | s c E L L A N Y.
WHEN TO KILL PORK.

Some days past we had a communication on
this subject from Mr.. Pettes, of Brattleboro,
Vt. II was published without comment in the
Ploughman of Jan. 22d.
The notion that the moon has an influence to
increase or diminish the farmers great reliance
pork, as she appears to us TO increase and di-
minish-to wax and wanc--S as old as the set
Element at Plvmouth-vet it seems not to have
commanded that entire confidence which farm
ers want'on the important swelling and shrink
ing of their pork in the barrel and over the fire.
Our friend in Vermont seems not to be super
stiticus, and has heretofore thought so little of
the moon that he killed his fat hogs in the fall
of 1857, in the old Of the moon. Well. his
pork did not swell on cooking, but on the con-
trary it fell away from the rind and half of it
turned to fat instead of resting as it should do
in solid meat. There must be some cause for
this. What was it ?
Last fall he concluded to hearken to some
neighbors. who advised him to kill his hogs on
the increase of the moon il he would have his
pork swell in the pot. lie has tried this plan
and not only does his pork puff out on cooking,
but it swells so much in the barrel as to make
the brine leak out and to cause him much
trouble to dig the pork out to I've packed again
where it can have free play and swell till next
spring.
But this is a subject too serious to be laughed
out of countenance by people who think they
have facts on their side and know of what thev
speak. We have long known people who
would no sooner think of killing their hogs in
the old of the moon than they would of setting
hen on an eren number of eggs. All poulter-
ers we think put an odd number of eggs under
hens and turkeys.
We well recollect that as soon as we were
old enough to set Il hen, We had the strictest
charge to use thirteen eggs for this purpose
and even now in our old age we should hesitate
long about departing from the magic rule, an
odd number for hen or turkey-but for the
goose an even number would do since she sell
dom laid more than twelve eggs TO a litter, ana
none were to be lost.
Now we incline to think that not one farmer.
or farmers wife. in hundred has ever ventured
to try the experiment of setting one hen on an
even number of eggs, and another on an odd
number. There is less trouble in following
the footsteps" than in trying new track.
But our correspondent has made an actual
trial of the two modes or times of killing pork,
and he is fully satisfied of his former error in
not regarding the signs. Let us sec-he is now
only a month or two on his second year-hs
pork was not good one year ago, but now, I'M
der the new moon of Novemb r last, when he
killed his last pork, he finds marked differ
ence. His pork has been sailed but a month
or two.
He admits that this may be owing to other
causes than the influence of the moon-and he
states that he had a di6erGH breed of hogs
year ago. Well, it is well known fact that
some breeds Of hogs are tattened well on one
half the feed required for others, and that pork
differs very much in quality and value-but
whether the moon or stars have anything to do
with the business is the question.
The moon has vast Influence ovpr the snos of
our EARTH raising the tides much higher than
the sun has power to do. The moon has some
influence on the weather, and this weather. or
atmosphere, has great influence over the flesh
pots of the kitshen, causing the water in the
pots to boil away, or boil down, twice as fast at
some times as at others.
Any one can see this and see the cause as
well as he can the mist rise in his hay field
Evaporation is constantly going on-and when
the water in the flesh pots evaporates more
rapidly than usual all of us predict change of
weather. Yet no one is in fear that evapora-
ton will be strong enough to affect the pork in
case supply of water is kept up.
After all we should like to have some hum
dreds Of farmers who never think of the moon
on killing their PORK, make fair trials with the
same kinds Of hogs and the same feed For if
it is true that the moon has so much influence
in this case it ought to be universally known,
since millions ct money are annually put down
in pork either in the old or the new of the
moon.
One trial will not do Let us have a dozen
at least of the same kind of feeding and breed
For the whole burthen of proof rests on those
who give US no better reason for the goodness
of pork than the killing it in the new of the
moon. 1t may be 50, but the world must have
the best evidence which the nature Of the case
admits Of before tine world will change its
course.-HoUghaion