Civilian & telegraph. [volume] (Cumberland, Md.) 1859-1875, 1864-04-28
AGRICULTURAL.

KILLING Fowls FOR TABLE UsH.-A
late number of the London Poultry Chron-
icte has an article on thia subject, from
which we extract the following sugges-
tons, some of which are entirely new;
"1f the fowls are to be eaten on Thurs-
day, let them be caught on Monday even
ing, and shut up in basket absolutely
without food or water until the next
morning. Being quite empty they must
be killed. not by cutting their throats but
BY breaking their necks. Take hold Of
the tip of the end or fight feathers of the
wings, and the lower part of the thighs
and knees with the left hand. Take hold
of the head of the fowl in the right hand.
turn it (the head) upward in the hand.
but simultaneously pull up with the left
hand, and press down with the right
until there is a trihing jerk-it is the dis
location of the neck. Death cnsues in
a few minutes. If there is any doubt it
can be easily solved by feeling the back
of the bird head--therc will be founda al
ugly gap between the head and the neck.
When d fowl is bled to death it is very
white, but it is often dry; when it is
killed by dislocation of the neck it is
juicy. As soon as the bird is dead in
deed should say directly it is dead-it
should be picked The large feathers of
the wings and tail should be pulled first
The reason why they should be picked
is that the fowl then gets Immediately
cold (; it is for the same cause, essentially.
that they should be killed early in the
morning or late in tie evening; the lat
ter is preferable. Even in hot weather
the fowl is spoiled nine times out of ten
by the fermentation of the food, or the
decomposition of the water that was in
the body at the time of death. The bird,
tasted and killed as we have described,
may be drawn and trussed for the spit
some hours before it is wanted, and in
spite of hot weather it will be sweet, ten
der and juicy.
BOILING FooD FOR Hoes recent
meeting of the Farmers Club, Prof.
Mapes made the following remarks in re-
gard to boiling food for hogs 1.-THE
proof of the saving of food by boiling
has been given here. and, as it can be
stated in very few words, we may as
well have it. Mr.. Mason was a watch
maker in Camden, N. j., and among
other fancies he liked to keep hogs. He
has his long pen right back of his shop.
so that he could sit at his window and
watch his hogs. Every spring he bought
some pigs and fed them throug the sea-
son Just opposite 10 Mr.. Mason was
the store of Mr.. Van Arsdale, and every
pound of food thct Mr.. Mason gave to
his pigs he bought at this store At the
end of six months he got his bill from
Mr.. Van Arsdsle, and he always slaugh-
tered his hogs at that time, so that he
knew exactly how much his pork cost.
For several years it figured up about Is
cents per pound. At length some one
advised him to boil his corn. He ac-
cordingly got large kettle and cooked
all the food that he fed to his pigs. Then
his pork cost him 4 cents per pound
We also had the experience of Mr.. Camp
bell, which was about the same as Mr..
Mason's. Henry Ellsworth made some
extensive experiments in the same thing,
and his statement is that 30 pounds Of
raw corn make as much pork as 13 pounds
of boiled corn"
. GREEN FooD FOR SToCK. Those who
from having long been confined to diet
of salt junk and potatoes, sit down for
the first time in the season to enjoy early
grown greens, lettuce, and green peas,
may understand something of the long
ings which cattle and other stock feel for
the return of grass feed in spring. 1t is,
however, unwise to indulge them in
range of pasture, until the growth is well
established. Pasture may be greatly in
jured by too early cropping, and by
trampling while the ground is soft. No
hoof should enter a meadow or grain
field in spring time. Beets and carrots
will now come to an excellent market if
they are on hand. 1t is we'll, where only
a small quantity is raised, to keep them
oyer for spring feeding. If none have
been heretofore cultivated, the desire for
them now, should lead to preparation Of
ground for a crop the present season.
Plow deep. subsoil if needed, manure
thoroughly, and sow in drills II to 2 feet
apart, according to the crop, the latter
part Of this or the first of next month,
except for turnips, which are better left
later