The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1876-03-06
yirRlnln Bacon.

A year or more ago we put up an ap-
peal in behalf of Virginia bacon. 1t was,
in our opinion, too good thing to pass
out of existance in q world where it is so
important to preserve the things that are
good. We have never yet met with an
article of diet which for excellence, and
enduring excellence, was its equal, and
we don want to. Time but increases our
respect and devotion for 1t. Talk about
sirlon of beef Ham is King. 1t should
be cherished by Yirginisns. They
should as soon think of giving up the
name of their State a. to permit the fame
of her ham to die. We say time but in.
creases our desire to see il made an OBJ
ject Of devoted cultivation. The new
tangled curings with your machinery,
and your sugar, and your various styles,
and oh those stumps of joints that seem
to scandalize the board, drive US back
again and again, with renewed devotion,
TO that cherished emblem of the most re-
fined aid golden hospitality that the
world ever ssw-the Old Virginia ham.
Mr.. Massie, in the Planter advises
that the hog shall be from $50 to l6O
pounds; that it shall be slaughtered on
cold dry, day-never damp-no matter
how cold. After the animal heat IS ex-
hausted cut out rounding, and clean free
from gashes, and salt. Rub salt finely
beaten. on skin side and end of hook.
On hesh-side sprinkle over 1t dessert
spoonful of saltpetre pulverized, and
then nut as much salt on the flesh side as
it will hold. Pack down, flesh
side up, and let it remain for
five to six weeks, when hang
hook dorm. and smoke-some prefer chips
(Mr Massis does some hickory-some
corn cobs.
This is simple enough, and yet some OF
the best bacon cured in Virginia has no
more done for it. 1t is our opinion that
these is much in the latitude and a good
deal in the life and food of
the hog that helps out the excellence of
the Virginia becon. We do not like the
freezing of bacon-centaialy not before
it has taken the salt. We do not believe
it favorable to meat that has to be pre-
served long time topass the ordeal of
freezing and thawing. But the Virginia
hog has been the object Of derision for
his appearance, which is the result of his
life. He certaialy in the morning of his
being, is familiar with the stern nurse Of
virtue, adversely. His dicipline makes
him hardy, brave and intrepid. His mas
ter is taught to maintain close fields and
to keep good lookout for his family OF
hogs. Let US be strictly fair. for we could
not be unjust to these good people-the
Virginia farmers. The treatment of hog
is vet by no means cruel. All through
spring and summer a daily allowance Of
corn pieces out their frugal fare of native
esculents and grasses OF wild pasture, and
thew are the gayest and heathiest of an
finals, have none of that abominable ex-
cess Of fat, with scrofulous outcroppings
and asthmetic wheezings. This prospers
our gallant porker until the golden fall
begins to dawn, and the earth is paradiseto
him. The acorns, the hickory-nuts, the
beech and hazelnuts, and that delight Of
the hogs, the persimons, are all one after
another showered upon him. The farms
throw him out apples and other fruits for
variety, and soon the hardened corn
gives him taste of the finishing diet
which completes. fattens, and solidifes
his flesh so that at killing-time he comes
to tho "block' ripe for the making Of the
healthiest and most toothsome bacon to
be found in the world.
This is the career of the Virginia hog.
He lives his life in golden latitude, and
bedueaths his body to the charming feast,
w hen we see that hogs are killed and
cured by steam after being forced to mon
strosity and fntness by disgusting nrta,
we desire to see our Virginia bacon null
tiplied and abundant and when we see
that added to the red, lean, and transluc-
ent fat of the distilery-fed pork we are
now to have that horror of hogs fed upon
boiled dogs, we say, 80 give me back my"
Virginia bacon.
As it is now about the time that the
farmer was preparing for his hog crop
he will pardon US, we are sure for calling
his attention 10 these matters. Times arc
hard, and every resourse should be util-
lied by Us all; and beyond question. as
we said above, the supply Of good things
is not such that we should think for a
moment otlosing our bacon.
In our opinion the Essex and Berk-
shire breeds are the best Tor Virginia.
They and their grades are the animals
for us. Grown to killing size in one year
so they are not monstrously forced-is
more economical; but a two or three-year
old hog, as Mr.. Massie intimates IS bet
ter.