The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1889-12-25
SOUTHERN AGRICULTURAL.
seasonable Hint, for December.

Seasonable Hints for December.
Practically, December is only three
fourths of month, and sometimes it
to but few days, when esti-
mated by the farm work accomplished.
The negroes, and possibly others be-
sides, have already caught the fever OF
which foretells the coming
holiday festivities, frolics and family
reunions. The month may be called the
Saturday afternoon of the year, when
every one is inclined to slacken his
energies and to prepare for season OF
rest from labor and indulgence in social
enjoyment. Aside from the excuses in
which the sensual indulge, Christmas is
a social institution to be commended
and perpetuated. After years hard
labor, through storm and heat, and !
drought and coda year of alternating !
hopes and fears, joys and sorrows, sue
cesses and failures, the industrious farm |
er may rightfully claim respite from
toll, and devote a few days to minister
ing to the pleasure of himself, his fam
lily and his neighbors, not forgetting the
stranger, the poor, the homeless and the
sick.
But there is work of substantial and
necessary character that may yet be ac-
complished. Seed time and harvest
have passed away, so far as concerns the
vegetable products of the farm, but
there are odds and ends of the waning
year that should be gathered up, that
'snothing be lost" We trust that every
farmer will close up his business, settle
his debts by payment or satisfactory ad-
justment, and be prepared to begin the
New Year with nothing to embarrass his
efforts.
KILLING HOGS.
The characteristic work of the month
is ''hog killing" and happy is the man
who has pen full of porkers ready for
the knife and the yawning smoke
house." The art of butchering hogs is
one in which considerable skill can be
displayed, although as often practiced
it has given rise to the reproachful term
"a ''mere butchery''-as applied to any
operation unskillfully performed.
First, get every thing ready, presum-
ing the hogs to be fat. Have plenty of
water, plenty of fuel, sharp knives, ia
| bles, platforms or shelves for spreading,
good "gallows" and gambrels, plenty
OF clean, coarse salt and a little salt
peter. A large kettle is the best APP
pliance for securing hot water. Have
thermometer to test the water. Com
mence to kill by the ''break of day." by
simply sticking each hog with long,
| keen knife.
The water should be about the tenn
perature of 100 deg. Fahrenheit-not
under $50 deg. nor over ITO deg. This
is found to be the proper degree (160)
after repeated tests. A little tar added
to the water helps wonderfully in re-
moving the hair, Clean off every hair
and patch of scurf, and wash and scrape
clean before opening" the carcass.
Commence cutting OUT as soon as the
last hog is disemboweled. Trim the
hams neatly, rounding them at the
upper end and removing all surplus fat
and ragged meat! Cut the sides, or
middlings, as large as possible, leave
the shoulders correspondingly small.
Pull out the strip of tenderloin that lies
along the upper edge of each enid
/ ding" for sausage meat, or immediate
consumption lit is worthless when dry,
salted and cured); and also the thick
edge of firm fat that lies underneath the
lean strip, for lard. Take out the ribs,
or most of them. Now rub the flesh side
of each ham and shoulder with salt, and
lay it skin down on shelf or platform
in cool, shady and airy place, sprin
king thin layer Of salt over the sur
face. Next morning, before day, com
mence to salt down in tight half hogs
heads or barrels, putting layer of mid
dlings at the bottom, filling all the opeI
spaces with jowls and salt. Before pack
ing down put small teaspoonful OF
saltpeter on each ham if you wish then
to be firm and red. UAe plenty of salt,
leaving no vacant spaces between the
pieces OF pork.
We forbear any further details, but
beg the farmer to give the wife al
needed assistance in the way of labol
and material that may be required il
the lard, sausage and pig-feet depart
ment.
THE MANURE HEAP.
This is as good time as any to com
mence the process of manure-making
It should be considered that yer,
large part Of the elements of fertilit..
that have been removed from the sol
by the crops Of grain, hay and othe
food crops consumed by the animals
the farm, reappear in the liquid an
solid excrements. The making of dc
nestle manures consists mainly in pre-
curing these elements OF fertility an
restoring them to the soil whence the.
were removed by the crops.
The growing Of food crops, the sa,
, ing of their manure and restoring
to the soil, is beautiful illus
tration Of the law of CON
, pensation and restitution. An ind
, vidual particle Of phosporic acid, linn
or potash may possibly make the circui
. from the soil, through the grain, int
the living animal tissue, thence to tn
manure heap and back again to the so
dozens of times in the course of a farm
er's cultivation Of a grain farm. Fir
it is in the soil, a particle Of inert ma
ter; next it is organized into the const
tuition of the grain; then becoming
part OF the living bone, muscle or 9TH
tissue, or passing through unappropr
ated; then into the urine and dropping
Now il these excrements be careful
3 saved and placed on the soil, and tt
. latter be prevented from undue waste
, \, : 9 - -. -, +c ne earfili4y atil1 n