The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1863-05-02
From The American Agricolsuriss.
Rearing and Fattening Hogs-

The writer has been breeder OIL
hoes for the last twelve years. Inc
breeds raised have been: Byfeid, sui 7
folk. and improved Berkshire. lpreierlt
the latter alter experience, for the fol- |
LOWING reasons, viz: They breed
eoually well with tle others, fatten
earlier. and command higher price,
~ the market. 1t is acknowledged
that the cost Of wlnfering hogs Is one
Of tie greatest difficulties in raising
pork: hence q change oi breed - one
wherein the weight can be attained ~
halfthc time, and at two thirds me
coat. will be marked advantage.
The gain derived from raising and
feedingsimprovel hogs will readily bel
seen. when it is borne in mind that
the weight usually attained BY com
mon hogs kept over winter, - not
Greater than the ten months improved
breeds. Again, for example, what
will be the gain in weight on the ilrst
day Of May, OF four-month . hog
weighing sixty to seventy pounds on
the first day OF December previous.
fed and cared for in the ordinary way'
This question have put to many
farmers, most Of whom admit that
such hogs Will do well, il they hold
their own during the winter. Now II
this gain in weight is small, what y
the cost Of such gain, or Of holding
theiy own! \,
Il would be far better to save the food
used in winter, and apply it towards
the fattening Of Spring pigs early
in the Fall. i keep none but breeding
sows during Winter. My practice -
TO have my sows come in as near tue
middle Of February as possible The
sows and pigs are kept in . warm
comfortable sty, well protected from
the prevailing winds. The sow il sup
piled with as uluUts -soai. mixed
with skinned milk or dishwashings
as she can consume during the tins
the pigs remain with her. The youns
pigs remain with the sow eight weeks
when the SOW is removed and runs q
large. The pigs are fed with skim
med milk and dry corn meal, in sepa
rate troughs, until there is agood GOV
ering ofclover on the ground, wheI
they are put into pasture, and the mill
and meal gradually reduced. Ate
about . month they will be quite abl
to live and thrive under the SAM
treatment as the older ones-that j
TO say. clover as the staple article Q
food. with such . supply Of skimme'
milk and dishwashiDgs IS the hous
may afford
The sows are allowed to have ano
Their litter during Summer, which ar
either used in the family as roasters
or cold for store hogs Early in Sep
tember the hogs are taken mp an
put into pens-say about six in each
potatoes and other vegetables ar
steamed and mixed with the skimme
milk. ETC., from the house. along wit
a small quantity Of ground screening
Of grain or ground barley, and f.
three times day This course is cor
tinued about six weeks; the quantit
OF ground barley or screenings is the
gradually increased, and the steame
potatoes and vegetables decreased III
III the middle Of November. whe
corn meal, mixed with snch quantii
Of skinned milk or dishwashings !
NAV be necessary TO make Il mod
rately moist, il substituted until Il
middle Of December, at which tin
the hogs are slaughtered. In this wa
hogs are brought to weigh over thr'
hundred pounds at the age OF abo
ten months
The hams and shoulders are tbs
cured thus: A mixture ofone four
brown sugar to three fourths dry 81
il made; the hams and shoulders beir
placed in . large sailing tub (wat
and brine proof. the skin side dow
wards, are then covered with Il
above mixture Of salt and sugar, ;;
third Of an inch thick, little So
aud sugar being applied from time
time on such portions Of the meat
become uncovered by the formation
brine-particular care being taken
keep the meat well covered near Il
bone. The hams and shoulders fro
hogs Of about 800 lbs. require to !
main IN the tub under this treatmer