Graham guardian., 1895-05-04
THE FARM.

tAIiNA iiOioSNh ~ ~ lts' - ~ -
chokes are raised and the plant
takes a very retentive hold in the
soil. Pigs relish the roots and
they make wholesome food that
is entirely digestible. 1t is gener-
ally conceded by chemists that
roots are entirely digestible.
Coburn in his "Swine Husband
ry," gives the experience of A. G..
Williams, of Vinton, Iowa, in feed
ing artichokes to swine. He says:
The keep of my hogs in warm
weather lis blue grass, clover and
Brazilian artichokes. Forty head of
hogs and their pigs may be kept
without other food on an acre of
artichokes from the time frost is
out of the ground until the lst of
June, and from September or Oct
ober until the ground is again
frozen. To grow them the ground
should be rich, plowed eight or ten
inches deep, the tubers cut the
same as seed potatoes, and planted
from early spring to June 10, 10
to Is inches apart, with six bushel
of seed to the acre. They can also
be planted in the fall, from October
Is to November Is, but the tubers
should not be cut, and the ground
should be thoroughly rolled after
planting.
Much has been said of late Of cat
tie and horses and other stock mys.
teriously dying, and the cause has
been traced to the smut on corn OF
a similar fungus on other grain OF
grass fed to them. The common
smut of grain crops is a minute
plant consisting Of white threads
like those of mildew, which grow
in plants and generally concentrate
in the seed heads. That Of corn
appears in every part of the plant
even in the roots, but mostly in
the seed heads. The seed of the
smut fungus consists of extremely
minute black or brown balls, callad
spores, and when this smut dries il
is carried off by the winds and
spred far and wide. But some OF
it lodges in a tuft of minute hairs
at the end of the seeds ofthe grain
and thus when the grain is sowr
the smut is sown with it, and il
this way is most effectively spread
among the new crop.
To prevent this the seed, whether
wheat, oats or corn, is stepped in &
solution of four ounces ofbluestone
(sulphate of copper in five gallons
Of hot water, and this when cold
is used to steep the seed in. The
smut spores are thus killed, and, Of
course, the danger Of new smut is
generally reduced, as only that
floating in the air will infect the
crops. The seed is kept in the
solution for a few minutes, then
taken out, and drained and spread
out to dry. 1t is then sown imme
diately. Or the wet seed may be
mixed with some dry, airslacked
lime, which is a great help, and
thus dried, may be sown at once
either by hand or by drill.
In the matter of keeping pork
there are some items antecedent to
sailing that are worthy of attention
First in dressing, the scurf should
be entirely removed by most
thorough scraping and applications
of hot water. By this is meant
not only the dark colored, external
scurf that readily slips off, on a
good scald, leaving smooth, white
shining surface; it is what composeS
this that should be removed, other.
wise, when warm weather comes
it rises TO the top of the brine
sours, and impares the flavor OF the
meat. Two pigs may be dressed
for market with better appearance
while one can be properly prepared
for sailing and keeping for domes
tic use. The vessel (barrel OF
glazed crock) in which the meat is
to be packed should be clean, free
from any trace Of lime or suspicion
of taint from previous use. Ii
musty, invert over burning sulphur
and fumigate.
When the meat is thoroughly
cold (should never be frozen) cut
in desired form, rub with compound
described below, pack closely on
edge with rind toward the outside
and weight that it may not rise.
Compound for rubbing the meat;
One fourth pound of black pepper,
finely ground, one fourth pound OF
saltpeter, pulverized; mix with salt,
eight to ten pounds, sufficient for
the meat; rub thoroughly, scatter
ing some upon the bottom of the
vessel and on each layer of meat;
cover the meat with cold water.
Meat thus prepared will keep some
time, though not through hot wealth
er. The lean will not harden as if
more salt were added. If scum a.
rises, skim and add salt, putting it
on top, thus feeding the brine