St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1890-02-08
SOUTHERN AGRICULTURAL


l 0easonablo Hints for Deeembee.
Practically, december is only three
fourths Of . month, and sometimes i
amounts to but few days, when csti
mated by the farm work accomplished
The negroes, &nd possibly others be
sides, have already caught the fever o
expectation which foretells the coming
holiday festivities, frolics and family
reunions. The month may be called tho
Saturday afternoon of the year, wher
every one is inclined to slacken hi.
energies and to prepare for season o.
rest from labor and indulgence in social
enjoyment Aside from the excesses in
which the sensual indulge, Christmas i.
. social institution to be commended
and perpetuated. After q years hard
labor, through storm and heat, and
drought and cold-a 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 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 he ac-
complished. Seed time and harvest
have passed away, so far asconccrns the
vegetable products of the farm, but
there are odds and ends OF the waning
year that should be gathered up, that
nothing 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, ta-
bles. platforms or shelves for spreading,
a good "gallows" and gambrels. plenty
Of clean. coarse salt and little salt
peter. A large kettle is the best ap-
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 q long,
keen knife.
The water should be about the tenn
perature Of 16O deg. Fahrenheit-not
under $50 deg. nor over 10 deg. This
is found TO be the proper degree (l60)
to the water helps wonderfully in re-
moving the hair. Clean of 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 meaH Cut the sides. or
IS largo as possible, leave
the shoulders correspondingly small.
Pull out the strip of tenderloin that lies
along the upper edgo of each ''mid- |
ding" for sausage meat or immediate |
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, |
Dr. most Of them. Now rub the flesh side |
,f each ham and shoulder with salt, and |
ay 1t skin down on . shelf or platform
IN cool. shady and airy place, sprin-
kling thin layer of salt over the sur
lace. Next morning, before day, COM
nence to salt down in tight half hogs
,eads or barrels, putting layer Of mid
llings at the bottom, filling all the open
'paces with jowls and salt. Before pack
ng down put a small teaspoonful Of
altpeter on each ham if you wish them
o be firm and red. Use plenty of salt,
eaving no vacant spaces between the
,ieces of pork.
We forbear any further details, but
,eg the farmer to give the wife all
leeded assistance in the way of labor
md material that may be required in
he lard, sausage and pig-feet depart
nenk
THE MANURE HEAP.
This Is IS good a time as any to COM
sence the process of manure-making.
{ should be considered thai q very
arge part of the elements of fertility
hat have been removed from the soil
y the crops of grain, hay and other
pod crops consumed by the animals of
he farm, reappear in the liquid and
old excrements. The making of do
nestic manures consists mainly in pro-
uring these elements Of fertility and
them to the soil whence they
vere removed by the crops.
The growing of food crops. tho saw
~ Of their manure and restoring it
D the soil, is . beautiful illus
ration Of the law of COM
and restitution. An indi-
idual particle Of phOsporic acid, lime
r potash may possibly make the circuit
rom the soil, through the grain, into
be living animal tissue, thence to the
,anure heap and back again to the soil
ozens Of times in the course of farm
rs cultivation Of . grain farm. First
IL in the soil, . particle Of inert mat
er; next it is organized into the consti-
ation Of the grain; then becoming .
art Of the living bone, muscle or other
issue, o. passing through unappropri-
ted; then into the urine and droppings.
low II these excrements be carefully
lved and placed on the soil, and the