The Springdale news., 1888-12-14
SOUTHERN AGRICULTURAL.
Pork-kilIing,

We wonder how many farmers in the cotton belt will be prepared, on the first real cold morning this month, to kill hogs. If earlier suggestions about feeding have been adopted, the porkers ought now to be ready for the knife, at least part of them. How many have adopted, or now remember, the suggestions made last winter about temperature of the water, the use of d thermometer, etc. What We preach We have ourselves practiced and know whereof We affirm. Farmers are too much inclined to follow the ''old ways and disregard the aid of science in many of the ordinary duties of the farm. Every farmer should have one OF more of the cheap ther- mometers if he can not afford to pay dollar and get better one. From long observation We learned that the normal or ordinary reduction of the temperature of the air between 3 p. m. and daylight next morning is seven degrees. The usual reduction, or fall of temperature, from ; p. m. to 9 ?. m. is ten degrees. In other words, when the weather Is stationary, the range of the temperature between p. m. and D. m. Is ten degrees, and be- tween 3 P. m. and daylight next morn ing 1t is seven degrees. The knowl- edge of this law will enable any one who has access to properly-eXposed thermometer to determine at either of the three hours named whether the weather (temperature) is undergoing a change. either growing warmer OF colder For instance: If at 9 D. m. the mercury has fallen more than ten degrees since , P. m., or if at day light it has fallen more than seven degrees since g P. m. (the night before), or if at , D. m. it has fallen less than ten degrees since daylight, then We may safely conclude that the weather is growing colder. By ob- serving these rules We may sometimes safely kill hogs a day in advance of others. or on the other hand, We will occasionally save our bacon by not killing when-although cold at the time-the thermometer indicates change in the direction of warmer weather.
 We always use the thermometer to indicate when the water is at the right temperature for sealding properly, having found, after repeated tests, that 160 degrees is the best tempera- tare, and that it should not be lower than 150 nor higher than To degrees. Kill early in the morn ing let hang in the shade until stiff, cut out and rab the joints well with salt at once and spread on shelves, pack down by daybreak next morning, with plenty of salt, and in. tight casks are safe rules. Why do not farmers generally put mp barrel or two of pickled pork? It is much better for boiling with vegetables, etc, than bacon. The following is a good recipe for picking pork; Large fat hogs make the best piclIIed pork. Cut of the tops of the shoulders and the thick part of the sides. trim off the lean (for sausage meaD and cut into pieces of convenient size, say four or five pounds. Have a tub or tight molasses barrel (whisky barrels will not do) ready, Cover the bottom of the vessel with ground alum salt; pack on this enc layer of pork, skin side down, as closely as possible; cover this with layer of alum salt, and so on, with alternate layers of pork and salt, pressing each layer down as closely as possible The salt on each layer should be half inch thick. After standing three or four days cover the whole with as strong brine as the alum salt will make, and put weights on the meat so as to keep it under the brine.
 (HtiftIIra