St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1909-10-30
HOG RAISING IN THE SOUTH.

Prof. S. A. Knapp, special agent in charge
of Farmers Cooperative D Demonstration
Work, of the United States Department of
Agriculture, in circular No. 30. Hog Rails
ing in the South, talks very interestingly
on the subject and shows how this industry
can be made profitable. Prof Knapp is
thoroughly familiar with conditions in the
South, and therefore his remarks are always
interesting and his suggestions of practical
benefit to the Southern farmer He main
tains that hog raising, under proper manage
ment, is one Of the most profitable employ
ments that can be engaged in, and gives the
details for the arrangement of farm for
this purpose for growing the feed, pasturing
and raising the hogs. He shows how, with
proper management, hogs can be raised that
will average IT'S pounds at ten months old
at cost of 80 cents per pound, against 10
cents per pound with improper management
The main difficulty, he says, is in the pack
ing and preparing of the meat during the
warm days that sometimes occur in the
packing season. This can be overcome by
the use Of ice for lowering the temperature
Of the preparing and packing rooms. He
says in this connection:
Farmers have sustained great losses in
the South because of the impossibility of de-
pending on steady cold weather at killing
time. A few warm days at that time will
spoil the meat supply of year. Since pub
lie attention has been turned to the impor-
lance Of producing a home supply of pork
there has been a strong demand for central
packing houses. These will be totally I'M
necessary for number Of years, or at least
till there is an ample home supply. What is
imperatively required is for every market
town to establish a small killing and storing
plant, which shall have, in connection with
the ice plant, two or three rooms that can
be cooled by ammonia pipes to a winter tenn
perature.
A few yards and sheds for holding and
feeding hogs will be needed, besides room
for killing, provided with a scalding vat and
table for scraping and removing bristles,
and an overhead trolley for suspending the
hog, removing the entrails and vitals, and
then conveying into the cooling room, where
the dressed hogs hang upon rods. When
sufficiently cooled the carcasses are removed
to another room not quite so cold, where
they are cut up. The parts to be cured are
conveyed to another room for sailing and
processing. The entire plant, including en-
CINE, ice machine, complete apparatus for
handling hogs quickly, and cooling rooms
should not cost more than four or five thou
sand dollars.
There are plenty Of good Southern farm
ers who know how to kill, dress and cure
meats to perfection provided they can be
sure of the weather. These cooling rooms
make weather to suit at small cost.
Better than this, send to Virginia and get
some farmer who knows how to cure Vir-
ginia hams, shoulders and bacon. They
bring prices far above those received for
any packing-house products. If this plan be
adopted it will leave all the profits in the
hands Of the farmers.
This subject should be Of special interest
to farmers here. The necessary capital
should be easily raised by cooperative as
ISOLATION. A copy of Circular No. 30 can be
obtained by applying to Prof. S. A. Knapp,
United States Department Of Agriculture.