Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1903-10-27
THE WINTER OF 1s5s-54.

Mitchells, Va, Oct. 26.-Your ref
erence to the heavy fall of snow fifty
years ago on the 2Srd, recalls to mind
the remarkable warm and mild winter
following and the disastrous effect 1t had
upon the meat interests of the farmers,
especially the hog product. AT that
time our old town was high toned
busting and hustling city Of every day
occurrence, outstripping by far the
spasmodic hurry and hurrah so graphl-
cally depicted by you few days since
occasioned by the Long bridge acci-
dent. Now, of the time / write, upper
King street was the receiving point Of
the produce of -four, wheat corn,
seeds and pork (dressed) &C., &c,
hauled to the town in hundreds of tent
covered four and six horse teams. Many
of them billed and unloaded there, the
-four and other articles being inspected,
were taken in and stored by our uptown
merchants and packers, from whence
the -four and grain we're transferred by
carts and drays (the latter almost ex-
tinct now) to the vessels lying at the
wharves and extending from Hunters
shipyard to Fishtown, through the
hands of the shipping merchants on the
strand. At that day and for few
years thereafter our merchants, trades
men, and mechanics, lawyers and doc
tors, were all high toned and honorable
men, and the darkies, the most of whom
were slaves, even they were honest and
reliable in their way. Oh, those were
glorious days in the South, but digress
for | started out to warn the farmers
against the condition of the weather that
may repeat itself the coming winter.
The winter of 1854 after the snow fall
of October %, proved so very mild and
warm that the hogs wsgoned to market
were covered with a thick slime and
some of the leaf fat had turned green.
We bought hogs at q and cents per
pound, not knowing whether the meat
could be saved aud cured or not, but
after great deal of extra labor, care
and vigilance we and others succeeded
in curing the meat, and what / wish to
saw to the farmers is this, that should
we have similar weather this winter, in
stead of scalding ard dressing the hogs
under the old country custom that is,
beginning before daybreak and letting
all the hogs hang on the pole in the sun
until the last one is scalded before
opening any-they should be kept
closely penned for two nights and part
of two days on less than half feed, but
plenty of water. Then commence
sIaughtering about an hour before sun
set. Open each hog at once after he is
hung on the pole. Next morning hang
the whole lot somewhere in the shade
and where the air circulates freely and
let them hang that day and the follow
ing night or until the animal heat is en-
tirely dissipated, then cut up and use
about double the quantity of salt that
has been customary in the country
heretofore and even now, if after sailing
down dry as most farmers do and the
weather should continue warm and sultry
az il did in '53. Then at the end of q
week overhaul the whole lot, re-rub with
salt and pack closely in tight casks in
tubs and the third day make a strong
brine or pickle and cover each casl and
weight it down. Two weeks from thai
time draw it out, re-rub again and you
then can lay it down dry, but if large
meat re-pickle the hams and shoulders
and will insure sound meat, no matter
how the weather is, but above all b
sure the animal heat is entirely out o
the meat before sailing.
Mr.. Editor, during the winter o.
'53-'54 there was scarcely farmer II
the Piedmont section that did not lost
nearly the entire years supply of porl
from the want of proper attention, hence
tie foregoing in that important subject