The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1897-01-18
RAz,,RBAcK HAMS.
a vireinia Deiicacy That Has Wide
Reputation.


In the twelfth and thirteenth an
nual reports of the bureau of animal
industry of the department of agri-
culture high tribute is paid to the
Smithfield ham, which is produced in
Virginia, in the counties of Isle OF
Wight, Surrey, Southampton and
Nansemond. An inspector Of the
department of agriculture has made
a special study of its history and
preparation. The fame of the Smith
field ham is we'll established, says
the report, it's "only rival" being
1.-the celebrated Westpbalia ham,
which many consider to be inferi-
or" The name Is derived from
small town on Pagan creek, about 30
miles from Norfolk. Its reputation
began about 100 years ago with the
hams cured by Mr.. Todd of Smith
field. Its sale is extensive, extend
ing to all the larger cities of the Un-
ion, and some of the 80, hams
produced yearly go to Europe to
meet the demand of connoisseurs of
the old world. Much of the product
is sold in England and France to
private parties, who order their
hams before the crop is cured"
Western pigs have been imported
and fattened as well as cured at
Smithfield, but the meat was unsat-
isfactory, being coarse compared
with the local product. Strange to
say, the animal which produces the
incompatible Smithfield ham is
the "razorback" hog, semiwild,
friendless, not to say odious, variety
which is found in the mountains of
Virginia, Kentucky and Tennessee.
This variety is described as "long
nosed, slabsided and like race
horse" with legs of extraordinary
length. 1t has bad name among
farmers who breed fine stock, but
for ham it has no equal. Eal
Much depends on the proper feed
ing and upon the curing of the hams.
For time in the youth of the "razor
back" he is allowed in the summer
to run wild in the woods and gain
thus a gamy flavor, when he is
turned into fields from which crops
have been gathered, where he be-
gins to fatten. OF this fattening
process the report says: Sin tho fall,
when the corn crop has been gath
cred, the hogs are turneds into the
cornfields. In these fields every 9th
or row has been planted to black
eyed peas, and the hogs are allowed
to gather these and the small corn
that has been left in the field. When
turned into these fields they are very
thin. The feed they get there causes
them to fatten rapidly. As the po-
tatoes are gathered the hogs are al
lowed to follow in these fields and
get the small potatoes that are left.
In the district which produces the
most Smithfield hams there are a
great many sweet potatoes and pea
nuts raised, and the hogs are allow
ed free access to these fields as soon
as the crops are gathered. The po-
tatoes, and particularly the peanuts,
add fat with astonishing rapidity,
but the fat is very soft. Peanut fat
in particular has translucent, oily
character, which, from its tendency
to drip when the hams are hung up,
causes great shrinkage in the
weight" After the razorback has
cleaned up the fields the next step is
to pen him up and give him corn and
plenty of clean water. With this
diet he fattens quickly to the desired
extent. The curing is with Liverpool
salt and saltpeter, after which the
hams are washed clean and slowly
smoked for 40 days with green hick-
ory or red oak. Many farmers raise
the hogs, but few cure them. They
are sold to skilled curers, who sup
ply the market with about 800, 900
pounds of ham yearly. Baltimore
Sun. 90 .....fI ,. 7uU