Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1874-09-10
(Origilml.J
FATTENING HOGS.

clover is the result.
FATTENING HOGS.
One Of the many misfortunes which beset
most of our farmers, is that they have no hogs
to fatten. They are calculating on buying
bulk bacon next summer. TO those few who
are so fortunate as 70 have on hands some
hogs, out of which they contemplate making
their next years supply of meat, a word re-
specting the mode of fattening them may not
be amiss.
In order to fattcn hogs we'll, and do it as
cheaply as possible, several things must be at
tended to. The hogs should be put up in
close pens. The larger the pen the more the
hogs will run about, and consequently con-
sumo much of the food that is designed to
make flesh and fat in so running about. The
object in fattening a hog is different from that
in fattening horse or mule. In order to
fatten horse properly, he must be gradually
exercised every day, so that the flesh may be
made hard and serviceable; but in fattening
a hog, the main object is quantity. The hogs
should not be permitted to fight. The con-
quered will not fatten ; and besides, their flesh
will be filled with cuts and gashes, which ma
terially yinjure the meat. Fighting hogs should
be penned by themselves. Another impor-
tant thing is to put the hogs up soon-the
sooner the better
1t costs a great deal more to fatten any
thing in cold weather than it does in mild
weather. The cold consumes much Of the an
imal heat. In our climate hogs should be
put up early in September. This will enable
the owner to kill them so soon as the weather
will admit, and thus enable him to cure his
bacon and have it dry and ready to pack
away early in the spring. This is a matter
of great Importance. Late-killed pork rarely
makes as good bacon as that killed early.
The manner of feeding the hogs should not
be overlooked. 1t will be found profitable to
grind the grain and cook the meal. But
whether the corn is fed in its natural state or
cooked food is fed to the hogs, the trough or
floor on which they are fed should be clean.
The idea that the hog is dirty creature is
not absolutely true. Instinct leads him to
wallow in the mud but he does not prefer
dirty food to clean things. In dirt there is no
nutriment; and besides, it Injuries the meat.
The bacon made from hogs which are allowed
to frequent places of filth is not fit to eat; it
is absolutely nasty. Care should be taken re-
specting the amount of food given fattening
hogs Ifthey are gorged at first, their appe'
tites are often permanently injured. The best
way is give them moderate feeds at first, and
increase the amount as the appetite will bear.
The object is to make all the flesh and fat
that possibly can be made out Of the food
given the animal.
To fatten an ordinary sized hog it will take
from ten to fifteen bushels of corn; but this
amount of corn may be fed to hog, and still
the hog not be made fat.
When the hog is killed it should be we'll
bled, and in cutting up the meat no gashes
should be made. The salt should be applied
before the animal heat is out of it. Is is a
mistake to permit meat to become frozen be-
fore the salt is applied. The freezing stops
the pores, and thus prevents the salt from
permeating the meat.
Why FARMERS KEEP PooR.-A CORES
pondent says: After long observation | have
come to the conclusion that great majority
of the farmers that are poor might have made
money. If you inquire into their business
habits you will find that they always sold the
best and kept the poorest. For instance, if
they have too many sheep on hand, they pick
out the best to be sold. If you ask them why
they do SO, they will say, Because they bring
twice as much as the others, and am hard
up Just now for money. know that it is not
a good plan, and 1 do not intend to follow it
always" | think the habit of selling the best
is very poor plan for any man, don't care
what his circumstances may be. l have a
man in my mind now, who always sells his
poorest sheep for more than twice as much as
the average farmer gets for his best. I have
seen farmers in the fall pick out their best pigs
to fatten, because they would make a few
more pounds of pork than the others. This
I call poor economy. Probably no ten of the
best would make hundred pounds more of
pork than would have been made had they
taken ten of the poorer. By making this one
hundred pounds of pork extra, they think
that much is gained. They are very much
mistaken. BY reversing their rule they might
make ten times that amount.
A SMALL CKor.-The man who plants a
small crop will have full time to thoroughly
prepare his land before planting-whch is
half the battle-in consequence of which it
will be able to stand severe drought; he
will have full time to renovate his fences,
thus protecting it from incurslons OF stock
he will have ample opportunity to tertllIze
his entire farm he will be able to cultivate
we'll with smaller force, thereby diminish
ing his expenses; and, instead of having his
crop press him, he can press 1t, and he will
find at harvest that he will have much more
and of a much better quality, than if he had
attempted to cultivate more, and his expense
vexation and fatigue much less. He can
also have opportunity to rest part of his land