The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1882-09-21
HOME, FARM AND RANCH.

gan to execute orders given me By
the southern planters, they required
with rare exceptions, white swine
told them the dark colored wOulC
prove the most hardy and thrifty fol
their climate, the same as negroes
over white men. But L could at frs
persuade only few to adopt my
opinion and take Berkshire, Essex
Neopolitan, i'll preference TO Suffolk
Prince Albert, Yorkshire, Irisii Ora
zier and Chester County-these laet
five were subject to scurf, mango,
and other disagreeable cutaueous
diseases, which the black or dark
spotted pigs escaped entirely
and always wore a healthy,
clean, glossy hide. The planters
then began to change their or
ders, and in the course of few
years would hardly accept white
pigs from the north, OF even the
finest breeds. as a gift. In most
other parts of the United States a
great prejudice prevailed against
black spotted, and few would breed
them. Pork packers were espe-
cially opposed to them, because they
said the skin was dark, and yet this
would generally scrape to white
when they came to dress 1t. How
ever, time went on: north. east and
west, the same objects to white
swine which had taken place at the
south, they began rapidly to change
the color of their stock, and now
few white hogs are found i'll the
Chicago, or other great markets
OF the west, the general run be-
ing on the Berkshire, the
Poland China and Essex.
Indeed so much more favorable are
dark colored swine now considered
there, that they have been gradually
breeding out the white spots on the
finest sort above, and now they are
almost entirely black or very dark
brown, like the Essex and Neapoli-
tan. All these swine are very thrifty
snd mature early. The Berkshire
and Poland China are especially
hardy-can endure any extreme of
cline, from the coolest to the hottest.
The Berkshire Is famous for It's
larger proportion of tender, lean,
Juicy meat, and is consequently
approved for smoked hams, shout
ders and bacon. The three other
sorts cut up choice, clear, fat pork,
which is most desirable to salt and
barrel.-A. 3. Allen IN Ne1c YOT k
Tribune. cd.
STORING POTAToEs.-To store po-
tatoes properly we have to guard
against heating, for although the pO-
tato will not absolutely ferment by
heat as so much vegetable matter
will, heap becomes warm enough
to excite any germ-fungus there
may be in the tuber, and this exhal-
alton may be sufficient to cause a
decay, which can be communicated
to roots in which no symptom OF rot
exists. Moisture is favorable to
heating, and hence it is best to have
the potato thoroughly dry before
storing, if any considerable quantity
is to be put away in bulk. Thus, if
they are spread Oh barn floor or
other cool place out of the sun, be-
fore putting into the root cellar,
they will be safe against rot
ting. When potatoes are per-
fectly healthy there is not so much
necessity for this care in dry
ing. Hundreds of bushels are often
taken at once from the field to the
cellar without any damage whatever
resulting; and it is only i'll view of
the possibility of rot that we think
it advisable to take the extra pre-
caution in drying. 1t is we'll to note
that cool shed is best to dry them
in, as the tubers will otherwise alb
sorb more heat than when they
come out of the ground, and this is
what we try to avoid.
There is one disadvantage in dry
ing potatoes in this way, which is
always more or less connected with
dry cellars, namely; the great loss
from shrinkage which results. In
an average dry cellar there is often
as much as a loss of 20 per cent in
bulk from shrinkage. Thus, one
hundred bushels stored away
in place like this in
winter will give but eighty when
taken out for sale in spring. This is
often as much, and sometimes more
than the advance in spring over fall
prices, and is an argument often
used to induce growers to'sell their
crops as soon as taken up, instead Of
keeping them for the spring rise.
But this loss can be wholly avoided
and the roots kept in excellent con-
dition by carefully storing in the
open ground. A dry place is to be
selected, where the water can run
easily away, and the potatoes laid
up in long, narrow ridges say about
four feet wide, and as long as the
quantity to be protected demands.
After the whole has been collected
together, q thin layer of straw,
only thick enough to keep the
earth from falling in among the po-
tatoes, is to be put along the sides
and over the tubers, and thin
layer of soil, just enough to keep the
straw in place, is thrown over. 1t is
best not to throw more earth than
this over at first, as the natural heat
of the potatoes will accumulate,
while it is the object to let it pass
rapidly away. AS soon as there is
danger of frost, then the potatoes
should be covered thicklY with soil,
as the frost is certain to penetrate.
In this way the potatoes are pre-
served at temperature but little
above the freezing point, and thus
guarded against heating much, and
at the same time there is little loss
from evaporation-a great point
gained when the bushel measure is
hrOnU ht ont in the snrinU
BREEDING THE HORNS OFF. "A
Caldwell county, Missouri, CORE
spondent, writing to a Chicago ex-
change, has this to say about horn
less sheep;
81 saw an article on sheep breed
ing which think just to the point,
and if studied carefully would be OF
a great advantage to flock masters.
Among many good ideas which
were contained in said article is that
another great improvement is re-
quired, and that is breeding off the
horns from the rams. The writer
says that about the year 1920 a fine
large flock of hornless Merinos was
kept in the town of Norwich, Con-
necticut, and that they were good
sheep. Now 1 have been breed.
ing from hornless rams for
eight or nine years and
with good success. l like them so
we'll that 1 will have no other in the
future. There are several good rea
sons which 1 have for preferrins
them to horned sheep, which L will
mention One is they do not fight 81
much. Another is there are no horn!
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