The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1890-01-25
SOUTHERN AGRICULTURAL.
seasonabIe Hint. for Deccmber.

iourtns Oh month, and sometimes
amounts to but few days, when est
mated by the farm work accomplished
The negroes, and possibly others be
sides, have already caught the fever O
expectation which foretells the comm,
holiday festivities, frolics and famil,
reunions. The month may be called tn,
Saturday afternoon of the year, whe,
every one is inclined to slacken hi
energies and to prepare for a season O
rest from labor and indulgence in socia
enjoyment Aside from the excuses il
which the sensual indulge, Christmas i.
/ q social institution to be commended
and perpetuated. After a 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 be &C
compiished. Seed time and harvest
have passed away, so far asconcerns 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 adj
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
1t 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 little salt
peter. A large kettle is the best APP
pliance for securing hot water. Have
a thermometer to test the water. Com
mence to kiln by the ''break Of day." by
simply sticking each hog with long,
keen knife.
The water should be about the tenn
perature of 1G0 deg. Fahrenheit-not
under $50 deg. nor over 10 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
niddfings, as large as possible, leave |
the shoulders correspondingly small. |
Pull out the strip of tenderloin that lies
Along the upper edge of each '.mid-
ling" for sausage meat, or immediate |
lit is worthless when dry,
alted and cured): and also the thick |
'dge of firm fat that lies underneath the |
can strip, for lard. Take out the ribs,
n most Of them. Now rub the flesh side |
4 each ham and shoulder with salt, and |
ay it skin down on shelf or platform
n cool. shady and airy place, sprin-
ling thin layer of salt over the sur
ace. Next morning, before day, COM
hence to salt down in tight half hogs
eads or barrels, putting layer of mid
lings at the bottom, filling all the open
PAGES with jowls and salt. Before pack
ng down put small teaspoonful of
altpeter on each ham if you wish them
D be firm and red. Use plenty of salt,
saving no vacant spaces between the
ieces of pork.
We forbear any further details, but
eg the farmer to give the wife all
eeded assistance in the way of labor
nd material that may be required in
ne lard. sausage and pig-feet depart
tent.
THE MANURE HEAP. /,
This is as good time as any to COM
lence the process of manure-making.
should be considered that very
rye part Of the elements of fertility
lat have been removed from the soil
r the crops Of grain, hay and other
od crops consumed by the animals Of ;
10 farm, reappear in the liquid and ;
lid excrements. The making of do
estic manures consists mainly in pro-
lring these elements of fertility and
storing them to the soil whence they
ere removed by the crops.
The growing of food crops, the saw :
g Of their manure and restoring it
the soil, is . beautiful illus
alton of the law of COM
'nsation and restitution. An indi-
dual particle of phosporic acid, lime
potash may possibly make the circuit
ON the soil, through the grain. into
Q living animal tissue, thence to the
anure heap and back again to the soil
zens of times in the course of farm
"a <s~v, ~ "a