Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1879-06-05
A Plate Of Pork.

III luJc numDcT OF Jne ITiOhfte
We find the following over the sigma
ture of Hon. George Geddcs. Mr..
Geddes' views and experience on the
pork question coincide so entirely
with our own, that we quote his re-
marks on the subject without any
emcndation, and give them our full
endorsement
Pork making, beyond the limited
quantity that every house and farm can
raise by utilizing only otherwise unsala
bic food, is not very profitable bust.
ness. But farmer would hardly know
now 10 keep house unless he had bar.
rel Of snltcd pork IN his cellar, and "A
good supply of hams and shoulders Of
hisSurlng; 80 II results that we must
raise few pigs-for certainly We will
not buy in the market. We desire to
eat hams and rausnRe OF pigs with which
We were personally acquainted. and to
know that they were healthy aud Ind
good ioOG. There II much idle talk
regarding farmers eating pork by men
whose only supply comes from market
that they know nothing oi-Hnd really
there are few things that would 30 badly
bear being brought into the glare Of
public discussion As the pork trade. o.
conducted IN many rlaceE--aHd IL D.
ssie for the dcnizcus of cities 10 let all
hog flesh alone that they find ia the
general market.
But 70 him who raises and fattcns his
4. -
perfect health, their flesh IN various
forms il real luxury. Fr.cas-ecd
chicken is not perfect unlcs accompan.
led IN tn" POT by some small piece. of
pork, and a hccistesk il much improy.
cd by being cooked with \ slice of ha.
con. Bat what IL hrstrate pork, and
how are wo to procure it2 Begin hy
raising the pig. Glyo him an orchard
for his pen let him root up the ground
aud consume the worthy apples as they
fall from the trees. Feed hun milk that
has been skinned, mixing little corn
or barley meal in II a. lac grows. and
bciore he has ever seen winter slaughter
him neatly, and make him into hams.
bacon, sausaccs, and some salt pork,
using his lard as good hous"kccperz
Know how. II you arc 80 unfortunate
as 10 live IN the city, and cannot raise
your Pig, agree with some farmer that
you know well To do this for you and
send the dressed carcass 10y express to
your house. Or. better yet. let this
skilled iattucr turn the pig into various
delcacies that ATE possible. and send
them TO you, and then eat and enjoy
the sayory lcsh.
But back Of this il the question. rAis.
81 by Mr. l.. +. Windsor. Of Michigan.
namely, as to "the best breed" and
here we reach delicate ground, for there
are certainly five different breeds, each
of which has is advocates. and it. mer.
It's 50 do not wish 10 bc undcrAtood
as disTarAging any breed / only cx.
press my preference, and give my rca.
sons; frst saying that have no pigs.
big or little. TO cell. and am therefore
70 be acquitted of any charge OF adrer.
ti'ing. Having tried several kinds, !
have settled down on the Suffolk, the
same that Prince Albert raised on the
royal domains. The Suffolk is small
pig, white, and much given to growing
tat on little food. We have used full
bloodcd boars crossed with finc.boned
sows. such ~ have resulted from careful
breeding of ordinary stock, always aim.
ing at ne.grained and fine boned ami.
mails. We procured a Suffolk boar from
Secretary Thomas L. Harrison, Of the New
York State Agricultural Society, in 1875.
and on the 5th Of December, 1876, kill.
ed eight pigs Of his get which averaged
253 DAYS old. and whose average weight
was 273 pounds dressed.
These pigs had only bone enough 10
carry their flesh, and gave very delicate
meat, and were full as large az we de.
sire. Our trouble with this family Of
pigs has been TO avoid their becoming
too fat 10 breed, and much care has been
required in this particular. Two sisters of
these 1876 pigs were saved for breeders,
and slaughtered and sold the next year at
about twenty months old, and were re.
ported as weighing together something
over 100 pounds dressed. ! give these
particulars 10 show that while the Suf
folk is a small, fine.boned animal, he
can be graded with ordinary breeds and
become very large. add that from
the day the half breeds are old enough
TO kill they are fat enough, and must
not be fully fed in hot weather, or they
will be in danger. We have lost some
by not scrimping them, and we have
had 10 put them on very small allow.
anco 10 secure their breeding. II any.
body has any better kind Of hogs
have no controversy with him, and
will enter into no discussion Of the
a.,Ifars