The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1883-11-10

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 1855
FARM AND FIRESIDE.


The Bssoso KHSEs Of BSEsHahamR-
There is a breed of hogs in the
swamp regions of some of the Gull
coast States which have more than
three hundred years existence III
America, if traditions Of the pioneers
arc reliable. They appear to have re-
tanned, IN u marked degree, their an
cient characteristic, in R condition
somthing more than sehIi-wiid, and,
under the rule of survival of the MT
test" to have made actual improve
mcnl, and to have demonstrated tho
the fitness of the climate and sp"n-
tancous production Of that region for
the growth and production Of swine.
This variety of the genus Sus appears
to he decidedly Sui 0cneriS.
The correspondent of the depart
mcnt of Agriculture, for Catahoula
parish, Louisiana, which lies between
the Little Red River and the Nash!la
MIR. Michael Drmpsey-rcfcrs t"
this breed as the DcSoto hogs, and
says their progenitors were brought
ont from Spain in the expedition of
Ferdinaudo DrSOto, in 1889, rs part
Of the subsistence of an armament of
niue hundred and fifty foot and three
hundred and fifty hurscmen, in search
of golden treasures in Florida, and
that during this five wears of fighting
his way among the fierce savages of
Florida, Alabama, Mississippi and
Louisiana many of his large numbers
of swine took advantage of their ilber-
ty in the swsmpy forests Astounding
in the territory traversed, successfully
disputing possession with the alliga-
tor, panther, bear and wildcat, 90 far,
at least, as to escape humiliation. The
following statement il quoted con
cerning this remarkable breed:
They are feet Of foot, keen of scent,
sharp OF hearing, with an eye that
looks red with anger; their ears are
short and erect like horse, only,
broader and very thick, their color is
a pale blue, or dingy white, with a
sprinkling of red sandy ones. If any
other color prevails, such rs 3scob's
cattle, Iing-strcaked, spotted, or
speckIed, it is foreign blood. These
hogs are seldom fed by their owner,
nor do they care tor il, as they have
learned to root pig or die, and have
found some so wild that when an car
of corn was thrown in front of them
they would jump from the smell of it
as if they we're struck with electricity
Il the mast (nuts Of The forest) Is
good, tney weigh at one year old 100
pounds net, at eighteen months from
$40 to $50 pounds. If the mast has
failed, they are allowed to run until
they grow fat. They roam in herds
of from q dozen mp to 40 or so, then
they form more herds, and establish
their location in the woods, where
they are seldom intrude6 upon by
other herds. Europeans, and even
people in other sections of this Union
may ask, how does the owner know
his own hogs, and how does he catch
| them when wanted.
There are only about 1000 people
who own hogs, in the parish Of Gaia
houla, and they all cRt different mark
in the ears of hogs, cattle, and sheep.
most of which marks are placed on
record in the recorders Office. As for
catching them to mark or Kill it is
quite simple to those who are nsed 70
do it. The hogs may range five. ten,
or fifteen miles from home, and the
owner makes preparation to kill or
mark them 10y building rail pen,
leaving slip gap open. The pen must
be in a dense thicket near his house,
with wings leading from ii at the right
and left obli9ue or V-shsped- The
Opelousas pony or mustang, rs mount
ed, and the two leopard dogs which
have been watching the pen are eager
FOR the hnnt. These hog dogs are
peculiar breed; they are a cross be-
tween the wolf and common eur, and
they may be trained to hunt anything,
but their faVOrite game is the hog.
They can smell hog, with their nose
up in the air, over half mile away,
and when they End bunrh'tbey com
mence to bark which brings every hog
within hearing TO the rally. If the
right ones are not there the dogs are
called off, and they hunt for more M
til the correct ones are found. The
rider must not go too near or the hogs
would scatter. 90 if he can identify
the mark as his, the dogs, which have
been eireling round the bunch with the
speed of greyhounds, are ordered to 90
ahead. They make dash at the herd,
with furious barking, but the hogs,
having formed in line of battle, com
pei the dogs to retreat. which they are
certain to do towards home, and thus
it continues until the hogs have
whipped the dogs into the pen, where
they Jump the fence and coutiRHe to
bark on the other side while the man
fastens mp the gap. Many excellent
breeds of hogs have been introduced,
such as the Iiish srazier, the Chester
white, Berkshires, and Poland ChiRas,
but they soon degenerate, and in
few years they are hog, and a razor
back OF scrub at that, while The De
Soto hog is better now than he was
forty three years since, which was my
first acquaintance with them, when
Al.