Woodville Republican. (Woodville, Miss.) 185?-current, 1888-12-29
SOUTHERN AGRICULTURAL.



We wonder how many farmers in the
cotton belt VIA be prepared. on the
first "real cold" morning this month,
10 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
thermometer, etc.s "What we preach"
we have ourselves practiced and know
whereof we affirm. Farmers are too
much inclined to follow the s'old ways"
and Disregard the aid OF science III
many Of the ordinary duties Of the
farm. Every farmer should have
one or more OF the cheap Their.
mometers If he can not afford
to pay dollar aud get a better one.
From long observation we learned that
tho normal or ordinary reduction Of
the temperature Of the air between Q
D. ~. and daylight next morning Is
seven degrees, The usual reduction,
or fall Of tenperature, from 2 p. m. to
p. m. is ten degrees In other words,
when the weather IS stationary, the
range of the temperature betweea Z p.
m. and p. m. is ten degrees, and Be
tween p. m. and daylight next morn
ing it 10 seven degrees. The knowl'
edge Of this law will enable Any one
who has access to q properly-exposed
thermometer to determine at either Of
tho three hours named whether the
weather (temperature) is undergoing
q change, either growing warmer OF
colder. For instance, II at Q p. N.
the mercury has fallen more than
ten degrees since 2 p. M, or II at day.
light 1t has fallen more than sever
degrees since 8 p. m. (the night
before), or If at 2 p. m. it has fallen
less than ten degrees since daylight
then we may safely conclude that the
weather is growing colder. By OBJ
serving these rules we may sometime:
safely "kill hogs day IN advance o.
others, or, on the other hand, we viii
occasionally ''save our bacon by mo-
killing although cold at the
time-the Thermometer indicates {
change in the direction OF warmer
weather.
We always use the thermometer t.
indicate when the water is at the righ
temperature for scalding properly
having found, after repeated tests
that 100 degrees is the best tempera
ture, and that it should not b,
lower than $50 nor higher thar
ITO degrees. Kill early In the morn
ing, let hang in the shade until stiff
cut out and rub tho joints we'll will
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 farmer
generally put up a barrel or two D
picked porkf 1t is much better 70
boiling with vegetables, etc, thai
bacon. The following is good recip
for picking pork: Large fat hog
make the best picked pork
CIT afdhe, tops. Of tbs. shoulders y d. an
lean (for sausage meat) and Gu
into pieces of convenient size, say fou
br five pounds. Have tub or tigh
molasses barrel (whisky barrels vii
not do) ready. Cover the bottom d
The vessel with ground alum salt; pacl
on this one layer of pork, skin sid
down, Us closely as possible; cover thi
with layer Of alum salt, and so on
with alternate layers of pork and salt
pressing each layer down as closely q
possible. The salt on each lave
should be half inch thick. Ate
standing three or four days cover tn
whole with as strong a brine as tn
alum salt will make, and put weight
on the meat so as to keep It under tn
brine.