The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1903-12-26

| @SoAoAh8 anu MOI oObAh6 Va 4AO6o
and the Curing of Meat."-This was the
principal subject discussed at the last monthly
meeting of the Junior Gunpowder Agricul-
tural Club. We publish below the views of
some of those who attended the meeting:
Mr.. George E. Shelley said 81 buy few pigs
IN the fall and put them in pen. Much de-
pends on how pen is situated and the range
the pigs may have as to how they succeed. /
killed ten hogs that weighed 2,237 lbs. Four of
them were months old and six year old. To
make brine use sugar, satpetre, salt and
some molasses sufficient to cover the hams and
shoulders. Am not particular about covering
the middlings. After taking the meat from the
brine smoke the meat and wrap the hams and
shoulders in paper and canvas bags; old ferti-
lizer sacks washed will do and prefer them to
the peerless meat sacks. To keep the paper in
place before sacking the meat use strings.
There is no bother with flies if paper is put on
early. The seven-months hogs were Berkshires
and. weighed from 165 to 176 pounds; the others
were Berkshire and Poland China mixed and
weighed from $50 to 200 pounds. These sizes are
good for packing away
Mr.. Frank G. Scott said st is very important
In raising hogs to get good breed; thorough
breds are the best, as they take less feed. To
and to make it profitable person should be
fixed with summer field for roaming and good
winter quarters Pigs should never stop grow
ing. When raised Poland China hogs the meat
was rather too fat. The hogs had last year ate
great deal and furnished lean meat as they
were poor stock. For family use the Berkshire
breed is preferred. The very fat hogs are cut
close for lard / have tried dry salt for curing
meat, but the best results were from brine.
The animal heat should be out before packed in
salt DR. brine. use brown sugar in connection
with saltpetre and salt in making the brine,
l-zsi66eA is strong enough to bear an egg. pack
the meat away in hogshead in dry wheat bran.
1 have tried air Stacked lime and salt, but bran
is better. After putting on a tight cover am
never bothered with mice. I put the meat in
the cellar and have but little to mould. The
air Stacked lime prevents the flies, but gives
trouble for the women to clean the meat
Mr.. B. NJ Brooks said: I'VE can get the most
out of raising hogs if we sell the hogs when
Q to weeks old. For family use the Berkshire
breed is preferred. Two hundred pounds is a
nice weight to pack. I do not salt very heavily.
In making brine use pounds sugar, II pound
of saltpetre and strong enough to bear an egg.
then add bucket full of water. After
think it salt enough take the meat out TO drains
then put it in sacks and no trouble from flies is
| had"
Mr.. Laban Sparks said: II think raising hogs
on the farm is only profitable when we feed
some by-product like skim milk If we have to
buy corn it costs very much to raise them The
Berkshire has the lead for family use. In cur
ing meat we end by putting it in sacks.''
Mr.. George Frame said II agree with Mr..
Sparks that hog-raising is very expensive unless
we have by-product. 1t has been estimated
that it costs IL cents per pound when pork can
be bought at 6X cents per pound. My farmer
said unless he raised hogs, though they cost a
great deal, he would not have any meat for win
ter, for if he depended on buying pork he would
not have the money at the time to buy with.
| When lived on the farm / would endeavor to
feed warm slop, and kept lighted lamp under
the barrel. hated to see pigs fill themselves
| with ice-cold fluid"
Mr.. Alexander d. Brooks said: I'm making a
brine for meat use molasses, salt ,saltpetre and
sugar in the preparation"
Mr.. William H. Buck, Jr, said: my expert
ence with putting away three shoats was that
the hired help had failed to do the right thing
and meat spoiled and the sausage meat was no
| good.''
Mr. E. E. Scott said IT favor a good, large
| bone and large frame brood SOW. 1 have had
better success with the Poland China breed, as
1t is Of quick growth. The breed produces more
fat, and the Berkshire has more lean through
| the meat. For market like sizes to run from
100 to $50 pounds. Last year sold nine hogs
| that brought 8K cents per pound. For packing
! hogs from 140 to 200 pounds make nice size meat.
| do not like large hams. At first sprinkle a
little saltand afterwards use brine of molasses,
| saltpetre, pearlash, and the brine should be
strong enough to bear an egg. Six weeks after
| put in sacks and dip in lime and then hang up.
The limesacks have been torn by rats, but have
the room now lined with galvanized wire. Ow-
| ing to the number of old buildings on my place
| think is the reason 1 have so many rats"
| Mr. L. M. Bacon said he has trouble with
/ rats as he has cats about the buildings. Good
| cats should be kept by every farmer, he said.
| Mr. c.. G.. Cole said 81 like the Berkshire
breed of hogs 1 generally raise my pigs and
take care of them, though they cost much. 1
use brine with molasses, sugar and saltpetre."
Mr.. Calvin D. Price said: II butchered COM
mon breed of hogs. 1 find there is not much
| profit in raising hogs unless we have skim milk
| to start and feed them with. l think the Berk-
| shire is good breed to handle 1 cut the meat
the same day 1 kill. 1 salt the next day and
| afterwards brine it."
| Mr. Joshua G.. Bosley said II used to buymy
| meat, but now raise it. 1t costs me about as
| much as if I bought the pork. get the benefit
| of good sausage and fresh meat, and our own
lard is better than that bought at stores and we
| know it is pure. Virginia hogs fed on acorns
| have different flavor from our meat. 1 put
| dry salt on the meat and it keeps very WE'LL"
| Mr. D. s. Pearce said: II always keep some
| young swine over winter for home use, and any
| extra lot of pigs SELL"
| Mr. Granville Matthews said: II think, to
make hog raising profitable, we should be pre-
| pared for it by having good and warm houses
and plenty of feed, which should be given them
| at regular times during cold weather to keep
them growing. After butcher and the animal
heat is out of the meat 1 sprinkle on salt so as
to draw out the blood. For sweet pickle use
to every 100 pounds of meat pounds of salt, 2
pounds of brown sugar, pint of molasses, 2
ounces of saltpetre, TX ounces of pearlash to
gallons of water. Boil and skim; then pour
the brine over the meat to remain or weeks"
| Report of the Late Grand Jury.-The
| late grand jury, in its report to the court, re-
ferred in scorching terms to the need of a new
| JAIL 1t said:
1.-THE iail was examined. 1t was found to be
very dirty, in bad repair and very unsatisfac-
| tory, indeed. We recommend that proper
| steps be taken before our next legislative body
to make ample appropriation to erect new
/ jail"
The Jury also criticized the county magis-
trates for failing to make monthly returns of
fines collected by them, as they are required
| by law to do. 1t suggested that the sanitary
| officers of the county be required to pay more
attention to the proper discharge of the duties
| of their Office.
Neither was the grand jury unmindful of
its own successors for it urged the necessity for
new furniture in the grand jury room and sug-
gested that the County Commissioners furnish
| the room under the direction of the court.
The jury, during its session, examined 161
witnesses, dismissed 10 cases and found Is in
dctments
The special committee appointed to examine
the books of the County Treasurer reported
i thatthe books show the county to have $780,
\ 1129s05 in cash, distributed follows: Towson
4 Bank, ST., 07612; Cockeysville Bank, $50, 600 I;
| Catonsvlle Bank. S25,045.83; Manufacturers
Bank, Baltimore, $4,000; Canton Bank,
$4,000.
| 4 The committee, by its chairman, Mr.. Thomas
B. Todd, intimated that the law concerning
| the examination of the Treasurer's books is