St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1889-02-09
SOUTHERN AGRICULTURAL.
Pork-Kiiting.

We ~onder how many farmers in the
cotton belt will be prepared. on the
first real cold'' morning this month,
to kill hogs. II 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 a
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 tho
farm. Every farmer should have
one or more of the cheap ther-
momcters 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 8
p. m. and daylight next morning is
seven degrees. The usual reduction,
= ID.
9p. m. is ten degrees. In other words,
when the weather is stationary, the
range of the temperature between 2 p.
m. and p. m. is ten degrees, and be-
tween 3 p. IN. and daylight next MORN
ing II 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
change. either growing warmer or
colder. For instance: If at 3 p. 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 3 p. m. (the night
bcfore), or if at , p. IN. ii 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 sometimes
safely kill hogs" day in advance OF
others. or. or the other hand, we will
occasionally ''save our bacon by not
killing when-although cold at the
timc-the thermometer indicates a
change in the direction of warmer
weather.
We always use the thermometer to |
Indicate when the water is ut the right |
temperature for scalding properly,
having found. after repeated tests,
that 100 degrees is the best tempera-
ture, and that it should not be
lower than $50 nor higher than
l10 degrees. Kill early i'm the morn
ing. let hang in the shade until stiff,
cut out and rub 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 up a barrel or two of
picked pork? 1t is much better for
boiling with vegetables. etc. than
bacon. The following is good recipe
for picking pork: Large fat hogs
make the best picked pork.
Cut off the tops Of the shoulders and
the thick part of the sides, trim off the
lean (for sausage mcat) and cut
into pieces Of convenient size, say four
Or five pounds Have tub or tight
molssses barrel whisky barrels will
not do) ready. Cover the bottom OF
the vessel with ground alum salt; pack
on this one layer Of pork, skin side
down, as closely as possible; cover this I
rish layer Of alum salt. and SO on, /;
with alternate layers Of pork and salt,
oressi'.s- e;..n layer down as closely as !
,>iDlc. The salt on each LAYER !
hOuld be a half inch thick. After '
ianding three or four days cover the i
whole with rs strong a brine as the c
Ilum salt will make. and put weights Q
m the meat SO rs to keep it under the
'rine.