The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1876-02-10
Shall We Hare Hogs 2

Shall We Hare Hogs? ,
EDITOR SOUTHERN CULTIvAToR -
Shall we have hogs to raise our own meat,
or shall we continue the ruinous policy
of relying on the West to supply itf
This is not new question by any.mesns,
but, as it is a vital one, its repetition
should not be considered out of place.
There are large number of farmers Who
seem to have settled the question in The
negative, and are net disposed to recon-
slider. Some of these are among those
who, this year, paid their merchants
ts9enty cents per pound for 6acon-and, by
the way, paid for it this fall in cotton at
III to 123 cents. In a,graat many in
stances, sad to say, these bacon accounts
will have to 60 over and be worked out
next year, or some following year.
Ask dozen farmers why they do not
raise their meat, and eleven reply, 'tIt' is
impossible, the hogs will be stolen.n The
twelfth in broad terms, "The West can
supply me cheaper than I can raise it,
even if my hogs are not stolen" r-'
with the latter, and perhaps his circum-
stances may justify his conclusions, ne
shall not attempt to controYert his opin-
ion; but we are disposed to tackle the
preponderating eleven. We do not de-
sire to be understood to say that it isa
delusion to suppose that a hog will be
stolen, if he is allowed to range where he
listeth for we are ready to admit the
existence of strong innate tendencies in
the breast of the average African that
are prone to lead him astray whenever
pork is concerned. In other, words, to
parody couplet of the venerable Cow
per ,... .,,ss..t, !.at;G
aWhen hog and an African stand opposite toHiew.
The hogs dissolution Is apt to ensue"
All this we admit, and yet, contend
that It'll practicable to raise a good por-
ton, if not all our meat. ii,r-a ~
When our hat and .overcoat disappear
mysteriously from the rack some raw
winter morning, we are not likely to con-
clude that sitting by the fire is the der
nier resort in the matter. Reason'is not
slow to suggest that economy demands
replacement of the articles, in order that
we may proceed with our customary en-
ployment. We replace them, and have
something 10 say about catch bolt for
the hall door. And in respect to the SUBJ
ject under consideration, if hogs, that are
permitted to range al large, are stolen,
why can we not co1fne them to more
limited areas and, with the aid of a thief
proof pen or house, still continue to raise
meat with satisfactory proft-not Tor e1-
port, but merely to supply our own con-
sumption? Now that Southern asTicul-
ture is carried on mostly by small farm
ers, what an easy matter it would be to-
do this if every farmer would only recog-
nize the importance, and admit the prac-
ticability, of raising their meat, even un-
der the new order of things. By con-
structing a substantial covered pen or
house in suitable proximity to the dwell
ing, and by devoting from one to ten
acres about the pen to "hog walk" out
of which the sows are not allowed to
range, this stealing business can be efec-
tually checked, and raising hogs yet be-
come an interesting and profitable en-
ployment in the South. The aforesaid
pen or house may be constructed out of
heavy logs or plank, and provided with q
small door with good lock and should
have plank floor, so that the house can
be cleaned and disinfected easily, at GER
tain intervals. By planting the land set
apart as range with peas, chufas, arti-
chokes, &C., and pasturing the same with
the aid of movable fence, cheap food
can be provided for the hogs until the
season arrives for corn feeding. In naddi-
ton to this source of food there should
be, on every farm, large boiler and fur
mace, or steamer if means will justify,
which, by virtue of its necessity to the
milch COWS, should not be charged to the
hog department, but which the hogs will
derive benefit from during the winter,
when turnips are in season, and which,
when boiled, may be. given at the close
of day, to encourage them to return to
their lodging under lock and key. They
can soon be trained to come to their pen
at night-fall by throwing them little
corn. And now, to come to the most i'm
portant part, it should be the object of
farmers, raising hogs under such circum-
stances, to so improve their stock, by
selection and crossing with the Berkshires
or other improved breeds on selected ma
tive; stock, that, instead of requiring o
dozen to supply twenty-five hundred
pounds of bacon, four or five will do it.
In starting out but few farmers would
be able, Or, at any ratep feel able, to pur-
chase alone a fine boar. The best way
to secure one, therefore, would be to get
up club of four, five or more neighbor-
ing farmers and purchase one, 70 be held,
as the common property of the club
and for the use of its members alone.
His services might be sold to outsiders
for sufficient to maintain him, and per-!
haps pay back the original cost besides.
Of course, to secure high improvement
in the stock, it will be necessary to i'm
port new one to run with the progeny
of. the previous one. If q number. of
clubs for such q purpose existed in
County, animals might be- exchanged
among them the second year to mutual
advantage. AS we are not capable of
exhausting this important subject, we
leave it with the hope that abler pens
will take it up and press upon our farm
ers the necessity of reyiving the good. old
days of spare ribs, backbones, pig feet,
souse, sausage; better living and more
independence. - .97 .q5.a ] G. "a
POVERTY AND LARGE CRops.-Proba-
bly, in no year since the establishment of
this Republic has there been more pinch
ing want, suffering, starvation, business
embarrassment, and financial depression
than the year just closed. And yet the
crops have been more abundant than be-
fore, and nature more prolific in provid-
ing for the physical wants ofman. Man
and government and not nature are to
blame that there is much want and trnn.