The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1890-12-24
WHAT TIE FARMES MAY DO.
WIEN TO KILL HOGS AND HOW HOT THE
WATER SHOULD BE.
The Way Farmers May "Laugh and
"GrOw: Fat i''-The eAlIiance-Grass-
Terracing, and Other Matters.

any syStenat1o work during THIS month,
looking TO next years operations. 1t ts true
that the "coming events" Of Christmas "cast
their shadows before" and darkies general
ly (and many white folks) feel little inclined
to work until after the holidays. A month,
socialities, frolickings and frivolties Of the
midwinter season, In the South, at least,
December may b. considered practically az
the initial month Of the new year, 30 far as
operations on the farm are concerned. The
crops OF cotton and corn, peas and potatoes,
syrup and sngar have been stored the fields
are bare OF subsistence of any kind and there
next years crop shonld not commence at
once. There Is always more or less hindranc ce
and delay in getting ready, and IT. will save a
good dta!;of time II the repairing, log cutting
startling the plow De inaugurated before the
holidays 1t Is we'll 10 make arrangements at
once for next years labor, and haye new
men and families 10 move in as soon as pos
sible.
HOG KILLING.
Would that every farmer In Georgia had a
hundred pounds of pork to every man, wo-
man and child on his farm. This was the
old rule and II faithfully observed there will
be no occasion To stop the teams next May or
June and 60 to town for supply OF bacon.
or all departments Of stock-growing we be-
lieve that the raisin. OF hogs sufficient to pro-
duce all the bacon required for running
farm the most indispensable. and, at the
same time, tue most profitable. Talk about
cholera, II you will, but our experience and
observation teach US that hog cholera is often
er plead rs an excuse, than as real justifca-
ton, for failure to grow enough pork for
home use. ....I '...
Heg.kllling is one OF the festival occa-
sions Of early winter. We know OF no rural
scene that is so suggestive as the pen full OF
pofkers in the morning, the squealing and
SpaldiDU 9crAninY
Ing and hanging, the trying" OF lard, sau-
sage grinding, the "cutting out" and salt.
Ing down." the boxes and hogshead OF fat
sweet midd inss, hams and shoulders, and
the day and weeks OF feasting on spare libs
and back bones, sweetmeats, gatherings and
sausaees, etc, so suggestive OF pleasure, p en-
ty and profit. Wuat is q farm Without Its hog
killing.
December is the month for hog killing
Have everything ready. o. course or the
farmer IN a good lurner) the hogs are tat. too
fat to stand on ''all fours" and eat. Have
plenty Of Iuel plenty OF water, sharp knives
and willing hands, and cold morning, with
the wind from the Northwest under a clear
sky. lfyou are considering at bed time wheth
II will DO To Kill hogs n the morning, look at
your thermometer at o'clock. II The wealth
er is stationary 1t will fall seven degrees by
daylight next morning; II turning htlll cooler
II will fall more than seven degrees; II mod
erating," less than seven degrees. hit stands
At forty degrees al O'Clock. p. m.. and 1t falls
no lower than to 81 or 33 degrees by next
morning, 1t will be rather doubtful. Lit falls
to o or 80 degrees, IL Is evident that the wealth
er Is not stationary but Is growing colder, and
II will be still colder the next night.
In all our reading we have never seen IL
stated what should be the temperature OF
the water for properly scalding hogs. We
found 1t out By direct experiment with a
thermometer The hair will slip after awhile,
over l10 degrees IL Is too hot; at 160 1t is right;
anywhere between the extremes will be safe
but 100 TX Just right. Try 1t, ye farmers, with
your thermometer.
Last winter many fnrmers lost more or less
pork and some of them their all, on account
Of too warm weather. There is always more
or less risk danger and no precaution should
be overlooked 70 prevent loss from this
source. Our experience is that December
killed pork Is rarely spoiled or injured in the
least. II the pork be spread out, fully ex-
posed 10 evaporation and radiation so as to
reduce Its temperature down to the nelghbor-
hood of the freezing point-say to 50 degrees.
or even ~ degrees, and 1t be then properly
pack ed away In salt, 1t Ia practically safe, re-
gardless OF tho weather. 1t Will not spoil un-
less the temperature OF the meat rise to fifty
degrees.
Inc following prec8uton, then, should be
observed. Kill early IN the morning; cut out
and each joint thoroughly (fiesh side with
fine salt, and spread q shelves, in the shade;
next morning (beIore day. pack down In
water. tight hall hOgshpads, or troughs, using
moi less than one sack OF salt to each one
thousand pounds OF pork, aud one teaspoon
ful OF powdered smlIpeter 10 each joint max
Ing a solid mass of pork and salt, and cover
ing and surrounding the whole with dry pine
straw or other dry, non.conductor OF heat.
II the weather should turn very warm, and
combine for week or two, IL would be well
10 find out the condition and temperature
Of the meat by testing with thermome-
ter.
FLOWING.
In such fields as may be covered with more
or less vegetable matter, for instance the
grain fields Of the past season, we would ad-
wise plowing us soon ms convenient, using O
turn pTow, but not insisting on covering the
vegetable matter deeply. On all clean lands
II we could accomplish the work In day we
would prefer plowing them the day before
planting. Our winters are usually so mild
that we cannot confidently rely On the afneli-
Grating effects OF repeated freezipgs, as In the
North. But we cannot do all the spring plow.
Ing in q day, nor in ~ week, hence, 1t Is neces-
sary to commence plowlng in time. Farm
ers generally. are "ell content to commence
plowing In January, or even In February;
but we have obSerN sd that he who commences
blowing in December. generally commences
blowing earlier, harvesting earlier, gets
through earlier, and makes the largest
crops.
FENCING, DITCHISG, TERRACING.
1t Is hardly necessary to name the different
details OF farm work that may be attended TO
now, rather than wait until January. Terra
cling is Il work that principally engages the
time and skill OF the proprietor. BY almost
universal consent this system Is admitted 10
be superior 10 hill side ditching. We have no
noubI OF its superiority. Be certain to use
none but perfect instrument to do the pre-.
liininarS work. Don't use raiter level; IT
Will not do TO rely upon. Everything depends
upon getting per1e 'tiy level lines for the ter
races, and our advice is 10 use the best instru-
ment, G, en- il IL dD"S cost ten dollars. After
all, we believe the btS, policy is 10 devote the
most broken lands Ia grass. There Is no syS.
TEN or device Tor preventing washing and
exhaustion of the soil that Is perfect, or COM
pleie that does not include the culture OF
grass. Even on lands brought under the ter
race system but cultivated in corn and cot
ton 1t is almost indispensable that the ter
rra.S, the cInhankmcniS be soddcd or sown
with grass We USE the term in its broad
cast Specification, 10 include all forage crops,
but especially such as are sown broad cast and
that occupy the land for Il series OF years.
THE ALLIANCE.
We have not been slow to endorse and ap-
prove tho fundamental principles of.the
Farmers Alliance We believe they are
founded on the Interchangeable and imnlova-
bic basis of right and justice. The farmers OF
this country have long slept over their rights
and their opportunities. All classes, manu-
ElcturerS, professional men, capitalists. spec
ulators, merchants, transportationis Is, idlers.
all consumers of agricultural products, have
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