Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1876-02-19
VIRGINIA BsCON.


IF5oa ne RicsaioHi D..pa,ch1
\ Year ar more ago we pa ~ A. anuasl
fcI NlTgiuia bacon 10 wa. an oar opin,...,
TOO Eood Ihii.g 20 pass oat oi eNis.eace ,n a
word wle-e "a - 80 Important 10 preserve
tre things that ATE god. We have never so
met an . title ~ diet which for eNc,sIlsri.,e
and eucu Tag excellence. was IT, equal, all
We cout want TO Time bat lncrrasls our
respect a. q devotion fer ~. rslk ABOUT sir
loiu beef Ram L. king. 10 should be cher.
listed by Nirgiuians. They would a. soua
mink oi giving mp the name of their state a.
10 Permit tie fame ~ her ham % die. We
say Time but increases our desire % see "a
made an object or DE voted cultivation TIE
neN- iang ell Curings win your machinery.
and your sugar. and your various sty les. ani
on. those Stumps OF Joi ITS that seem 20 scan
daliZe the board. drive rs hack araiu and
again, with renewed devotion, % thaf cner-
ishei emblem OF the most refined and golden
hospitality the world has ever seen-Ine Old
Virginia ham.
Tie Dispatch appealed % the Virginia
farmer 10 renew bis sctive cultivation of tue
nam, assuring him that "a was an article
appreciated n! the world, and. properly cut
liNated, would be- an important part OF the
received iavorably throughout the state. aud
several experienced gentlemen commant-
cated Tor toe press their moies of treating
hogs and OF killing ana curing their bacon.
There was ve1y close resem blzuce between
the different ~ stems OF curing. Amongst
the most noted OF these gentlemen are MessrS
Slaughter ftcklin, OF Albemarle. aud rn0s.
j Ms>sie, OF Nelson. Both have game dls-
tinction. Mr.. haSSie's father was renowned
a. capital farmer A. well as the maker of
the very beet bacon OF the time Toe recipes
ior curing bacon OF the two gentlemen are
nearly similar. Mr.. MasSie acc punGs Zoe Jue
secretly ~ Virginia hams by the hOg cnolers.
lhe loss and decay OF fences. aad tas rBgses
tual nave become - numerous. IL not
wonderful that there should be a scarcity al
hogs Ia TIE face 90 these porlls: but time has
been going on long enough FOR the hog epi-
oemic TO have passed aw sy, aud 10 nave en-
abled people 10 sysiemzttEe Enclosures some
what Surfaces shOuld have been drawn Ia.
and a plan OF wstchfdlness inaugurated that
wouiC have kept ones own under better care
AID driven rpgues more particularly 10 earn
their own bread and meat ana 10 live less en-
Other people's.
Mr. Massie. I'm the Planter, advises thai
the hos shall be from 100 10 leo pounds that
10 shall be slaughtered On "A cold, dry day
never camp-no matter how cold. After the
animal heat Il exhausted cut cut rounding, =
and clean free from gashes, and salt. Rub
sa'', timely beaten, on skin-side aud end OF
eOcA. Ga uesh-Stde sprinkle over a. "A des-
seTt spoonful OF saltpetcr, pulverlzed. aud
then put a. much salt on the neSh-side as il
Wall hold. Pack down, fiesh-side up, aud let
~ remain from four Co six weeks, when hang
LOCK down ard smOkc-SOme prefer chips
tMr- Massie does some hickory-some corfu
cohs.
This is simple enough aud vet some OF the
best bacon cured in Virginia has no more
done FOR 10. II - our opinion that there is
much In the Latitude aud a good deal ia the
lie and food OF The hog that heIps our the eK-
cellcnce OF The Virginia bacon. We do not
like The freezing al bacon certainly not be-
IL favorable 10 meat that has 20 oe preserved
a Ion = time 10 pass the Ordeal OF freezing aud
y awiug. But the Virginia hog has been the
onie't OF deriSiOn for his appearance. which
Il the result Of bis life He certainly. ia tue
morning of his being, il familiar with the
Stern nurse OF virtue, adversely. His disci-
pine makes him hardy. brave ana infr@pId.
His master y taught u maintain close nslds
aud 10 keep a good lookout for his family of
hogs. Let us be strictly fair, for we could not
o. utgust 10 these good peCpie-th Virginia
farmers. The treatment OF toe hog Il yet by
80 means cruel. An through spring All
summer daily allowance Of corn pieces out
Their frugal fare of native e~cul.nts aau
grasses a. wild pasture, and they are The
gay est ard healfhieSt OF animals. naVin.
none o. fGat abOminable excess OF fat win
scroiai'u- outcroppings ana astbmttic
~heezif Is. This pruspers our gallant pOrser
until the golden fall begins 10 dawn, aud then
TIE earib is paradise u him. The acOrns. The
bicAoTN E.'~. The beech and hazel nuts, and
llat delight al The hogs, the persimmons, are
al ole after another showered upon him.
TIE Farms throw him out apples aud other
fruits Tor variety, and soDn The hardened
corn gives him TASTE OF the finishing diet
which CONN sUes, faitens aud sOlidifies his
ucsh 50 mat at killing time he comes 10 the
block rlp, Tor lie making OF the healthiest
aid most lOoihsOIue bacon 70 be found ia the
world.
This Is the career Of the Virginia hog. lie
lives his life IN a golden latitude, aud be-
Queaths b:s body To the charming feast
When We see that hogs are killed aud curei
by steam after being forced TO monsfrosity
and iatreEs byldi>gustipg arts. we desire 10
see our Virginia bacon multiplief and abuD-
cant and when we see that added 10 the rad.
lean and translucent fat OF the d.stIllery lei
pork we are now 10 have that horror VI hogs
Ted upon boiled dogs, we say. "Da. give ne
back my" Virginia bsco..