The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1879-01-01


heavier yield of pork than that OF last year.
Why, then, the extremely low price OF
hogs in the market at present? Let us look
for a cause. Undoubtedly the prospect of an
increase in the number of hogs has its effect.
Packers will keep this fact with which to OBJ
scure the other-of a shortage in the corn
crop-and it would be well enough for farm
ers to keep in view the latter condition. Ii
one balances the other, we must look to
other causes to account for reduction in
price of about % per cent from last years
quotations.
We find a greater export demand, which is
stimulated by the decline, and this will take
off a part of the surplus. We find in many
sections. owing to a scarcity of corn, the hogs
are being run into market at light weight,
which, of course, will reduce the amount of
pork production. This will tend at present
to oyerstOck the butcher market, and cause
the lowest possible prices to prevail, but the
aggregate number of pounds will be reduced.
The greatest weight, however, upon the
trade is the general pressure of the money
market. There are few who have the money
to invest in the staple at any price.
| After all, then, farmers-whether they de-
sire to or not-seem forced to become specu-
lators to prevent being compelled almost TO
! give their produce away. OF course, II
money is to become more difficult to obtain,
and such condition of affairs is to hold for
several months longer, the inevitable must
be faced, but this is not generally believed
| to be probable.
So then, the best we see is for farmers to
cure at least portion of their meat at home.
| 1t they could put about one fourth, even, OF
their hogs in their own smoke houses, 1t
| would have good effect on what they send
to market, and, in all probability, make that
| net as much money as If the whole went
forward. Keep at home the light hogs, such
| as make the best family meat. Cut the meat
| In the neatest possible manner. Render the
lard in clean vessels, so that 1t will come out
| as white as snow.
Trim the hams neatly, and use pinch of
saltpeter and tablespoonful of sugar or mo-
lasses on the fieshy part when sailing down.
Do not put the pieces more than two or
three deep. Five or six weeks in moderate
| weather will be enough for it to remain in
salt. Ground black pepper should be put
| over the hams and shoulders freely when
taken up,or it may be done when first salted.
As to hanging and smoking, we may lave
something to say hereafter.
! There is not much speculation in pursuing
the above course, for it is scarcely possible
that well cured meat will bring less during
from this safe basis there is the prospect of
rise resulting from the better times that are
| somewhere-we venture not to say how far
| in the future.
Raising Horses On the Farm.
Extracts from an address by Clark Bell be
fore a New York agricultural society:
The farmer need not breed horses on
large scale, but every farmer it seems to me
should breed them on small scale. The
farm team should be good, serviceable. we'll
bred mares from the Clay, Hambletonian,
Champion, or Mambrino families A farm
team, when the farmer can keep but one, or
at most two, is better and more serviceable
for all the different kinds of work
that are required upon farm from
IL LII
Even in these times of financial depression
well selected horses of this class are as good
! an investment as the farmer can make, and
they will do all his work, and do it well,
whether at the pillow, the drag, the machine,
the reaper, or upon the road. where, in this
age OF steam, the farmer as we'll as other men
are obliged to be much more of the time
than In past years. The principal heavy
work for team is, as we work land, mainly
required in the early spring. 1t Is that
which tries the team for this work that de-
ters many from raising colts, who otherwise
would. To such, and indeed to farmers and
small breeders generally, who wish to use
| their mares in business or upon the farm, /
would strongly recommend the raising OF
fall colts. There is much to be said in favor
of it. 1t does not interfere with fair and
reasonable use of mares in the spring work.
The colt should be dropped so as to give
month at grass, and if little late, it will be
found the best for the dam and foal.
A fall colt GETS In the nature OF things,
and from the necessities of the case, much
better chance than spring colt, as general
rule, among small breeders. The mare has
to be stabbed, and the colt gets handful of
grain constantly, from even the most care
less of meu, when it is housed IN the fall or
winter with its dam. 1t is the almost uni
versal custom to turn out the spring colt to
grass with the dam, and it has to take the
chances OF poor pasture, dry August, and
| to run Its gauntlet of flies. The fall colt
escapes this risk; and when allude to the
importance of granting colt the first year.
it must be seen how much better is the
chance ordinarily of the fall coat on the
the spring. when the latter 60 rarely gets
grain the first year.
With proper care and suitable handling,
team of farm mares can as we'll do the work
ofa farm and raise pair Of fall colts as not.
| They are very little trouble and expense to
the farmer. declare it to be my firm con-
viction that, SO far as what the colt eats goes,
| it costs the farmer no more to raise year
ling colt than a yearling steer or heller, and
with proper barns the care required is about
the same in either case.
Management of Swine.
The good management of large herd of
| swine-100 for instance-requires that, to
prevent sickness by contagion, they should
be kept from running water that might be
infected from above, and from contact 9TH
erwise with infected herds: to facilitate fat
tening they should be kept in pens, with
warm, dry sleeping places; to preserve
health they should have fresh pure water
from wells; to prevent piling up and snoth-
ering they should not be herded in large
numbers, and for the most profitable breed
| ing the old sows should be kept over, as they
are more prolific and better mothers than
young sows. It iss fact that the vast de-
struction of swine by disease in the west
| could be prevented almost wholly by OBJ
serving proper sanitary rules. The fatal
/ "hog cholera so called, is comparatively
unknown in the eastern states, even IN the
/! herds numbering several hundreds.
To YHee Calves from Lice.
When calves are infested with lice, it is
| difficult to rid them of the vermin. Besides