Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1873-10-11
Farm, Garden and Household.
Fattening Hogs.


A correspondent of the Germantown |
Telegraph has the following 10 say in |
reference to the best method of fatten- |
ing hogs 81 must now hasten to give
some of my own experience with the
hogs. / used to keep them IL nv
younger days to furnish meat for my
family and to sell to get a little spare
cash. The kind with small bones, small
ears, and short noses, that with good
keeping at year old would make
about 325 pounds of pork, was my
favorite. (The first one 1 ever fattened
weighed 260 pounds at eight months
old.) Milk and potatoes are the best
food for young pigs, after weaving, to
make them thrive; they also relish a
few grains of corn at this time, as well
as a squirrel does a few nuts as they
grow along. In the season for it they
should be supplied daily with fresh
green weeds or young clover few
green corn-stalks are also good TO feed
them in their season, and the slops and
the refuse of the kitchen with a little
meal are also good. With this food
they should be fed literally but not too
surfeidng, and kept growing right
along in thrifty condition till about
two months before killing time, during
which they should be fed literally with
more concentrated and fattening food.
Boiled pumpkins, thickened while hot
with corn meal, are excellent food for
them, SO are also boiled sweet apples
thickened with meal, and so is scalded
meal alone, and some think for some
days previous to Strengthening time they
should be fed with dry corn and pure
cold water, that it makes their meat
harder and sweeter. Reared and fat
tened as above directed, their meat will
be sweet and wholesome for those that
labor in outdoor occupations, especi-
ally in the colder parts of the year, and
will do for those that love it to cook
with beans, green peas, and other
vegetables i'll the summer season,
though should myself much prefer as
substitute piece of ripe Stalled
beef that was sweet and nicely kept in
pickle made of salt and brown sugar,
with just very little nip of saltpetre
to make the meat tender.
Evening Exercise for Yarded Fowls.
During the summer, when fowls must
be shut up on account of their scatter
ing propensities, much of the i'll effects
of their imprisonment may be avoided
If they are let out for short period at
evening.
While out they may be watched, al
though there is but little danger of
their going into the garden, and they
will find enough on the grass plots to
keep them busy.
: Indeed, it is surprising how benef-
cial this time of exercise is. Thefowls,
knowing that they are to have chance
toget out, are much more quiet during
the day, and if regularity in letting
them out and shutting them up be OBJ.
served, they will return to their roots
without trouble.
Tits possible, also, that an hour al
evening is nearly as good as a whole
day, SO far as the health of the flock is
concerned /; for If there is any special
article $of diet needed, they will hunt
all the more diligently. 1t is for this
reason that they will prefer the grass tc
the plowed land.
., BY such an arrangement as this
large focks can be kept in good condi
ton, although shut up through the
year.
1.s How to Use Spade.
The man who can handle q spad,
properly does not find it very hard O.
laborious work. He first lets the spad,
fall of its own weight down to the spo
where the spadeful is to be taken up
taking care that the breadth of the sur
face ground is not more than four inch
es; then he draws back the spade lit
tie, which takes off much of the fric
ton of the descending blade. One gooc
thrust of the spade with the foot thel
sends the blade down it's full depth. /
backward pressure makes lever of tn
handle and heel of the spade, and
dextrous turn of the wrist sends tn
spadeful upside down just where it i
wanted. There is no raking or "sput
tering" needed to make the groun,
level. A slight tap with the corner O
the spade makes the work as regula
and plane as if laid off with an instru
ment.
-.tt Preparing Rennets.
ahe best way Tor preparing rennets
to. steep in whey. The whey should b
raised to the boiling heat, when the al
luminous matter will rise, and may b
skinned off Whey, when petrifed
will in a short time develop acidity
and then is regarded as altogether tn
best liquid for stepping rennet that ha
yet been discovered. The whey shout
not be allowed to get sour and decom
posed before heating and Swimming
but should be taken sweet from tn
curds, and purifed'as above described
j Salt may be added to the whey whe
ready for the rennets, and these shout
be rubbed out and set to steep in th
same manner as when water is used TO
sleeping instead of whey.-Rawal Nea
Yorker. .F...