Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1891-11-19
FARMER ANDPLANTER.
TIMELY TOPICS.


Tho Approach of Hog Killing Tlme--shel.
ter Tor Stock-Late Sorghum-Caring for
sweet Potatoes.
Hogs intended for slaughter should
now be fnttened as rapidly as possible.
They ought TO be ready for the knife
by the middle Of November, for the
latter part of November is our best
hog-killing period. The weather now
Is also very favorable for developing
fat. 1t is cool and bracing enough to
give appetite, and not cool enough to
make 1t necessary for the animal to
burn up large percentage Of it's food
to keep up its animal heat--as every
one knows it is hard to fatten
animals in very cold weather.
Sweet potatoes, peas, groundpeas,
chufas and sorghum should now
be given the hogs freely. Change Of
food and variety will give good appetite
ind promote digestion. Salt, ashes and
powdered charcoal mixed, should be
kept constantly within reach of the
animals-a few doses of copperas and
sulphur given at intervals will promote
health, and so will teaspoonful of
turpentine to each hog given occasion
ally mixed with its food. Copperas and
turpentine are especially called for if
animals ale wormy, which they are
very apt to be. 1t is all important that
the food should be so arranged that no
fecal matter can get mixed with it-and
an abundance of pure drinking water is
of first Importance. Not only the health
of the animal, but the flavor of the
meat will be affected by cleanliness.
If a sufficiency of shelters has not
been provided for stock this should be
looked after at once. In our mild eli
mate roof to protect from cold rains
is the chief thing needed. This can be
cheaply had by using inch pianks ten
or twelve feet long-as often urged 10y
us on former occasions, supply OF
such planks should be kept on every
farm for roofing purposes-a pen or
stall of rails or poles, with brush piled
up against it ON all sides except the
south, fills the bill. All that is needed
is to break the force of cold winds and
keep off the cold rains. Such shelters
are cheaper than food. The animal
heat must be kept up to normal stand
ard, either by preventing its escape (by
shelters) or by making more of it by
burning up food. Planl1s and brush are
cheaper than hay and grain.
Ifyou have any late-planted sorghum
whose seed are about formed, or will bt
at the close of the month, cut and put
under shelter without curing. The
stalks will remain green and succulen
for some weeks, and stock will relisl
them very much after frost has killed
the plants of the natural pastures. i
shou be cut as late as possible-a ligh
frost will not hurt it, but it should b,
cut before killing frost.
If the weather and ground are dry to
ward the last Of the month, and potato
vines have about stopped growing
sweet potatoes may be dug withou
waiting for frost A light frost doe
not hurt them, but if digging is put of
too long freeze may overtake then
that will hurt them, and rains may Sc
in and keep the ground too wet. Gu
best success in keeping potatoes ha
been when the ground was dry whel
they were dug and when the weathe
had become settled COOL Potatoes ar
often injured by being covered too muc
at first and getting too warm. The
will need very little covering before tn
Goth of November in ordinary seasons
Southern Farm.