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(NEW SEUIES.I
1 VOL* 11. /
NO, (6
How to Cure Meat in Warm Weather.
Asa class, there are no people as*
conservative yn their habits, of thought
and action as farmers.
In illustration of this truth, I will
refer to the scornful treatment with
which tho idea oi curing bacon by
injecting brine into the blood vessels
of the hog, when first suggested was
received, and the total neglect by
which the when repeatedly de
monstrated through a senes of years,
was permitted to be swallowed in
oblivion. When my lamented friends,
Lewis LeConte, late of' Libert y co.,
Ga., first in 1849, conceived and pro
mulgated the idea, he, and I for indors
ing it as feasible, were the subjects of
sport and ridicule own in that glorious
old community where there is as large
a share of refinement as
in any other unde? the sun. I can
never forget th& feeling « f triumph I
experienced, wljn, a few years later,
I was told by Ik gentleman, who in
’49; said he woh| eat all the* hogs
raw, bristles, jiob* apd %11, that Le-
Contc and I jrwfrl'jJh r” 'fflri- trr such
W ridiculous process, that he had eaten
as delicious meat at Mr. LeConte’s
table, cured by his own plan, as he
had ever tasted.
Not being weary with efforts at well
doing, I purpose offering forconsidera
tion another theory on the same sub
ject. In this plan, Ido not propose to
change the manner of operating, or
the means now used, but simply to
employ an agent as a substitute for the
“cold spells” so indispensable in the
far South, to delay the putrefactive
process long enough tor the salt to
“strike” into the substance of the meat,
especially in and around the bones and
joints. In the ordinary method of
curing meat by rubbing salt upon its
surface, an amount of time is necessary
to allow the brine, which is formed b 7l
the solution of salt in the fluids of the
meat, to be absorbed by the capillary
vessels into the meat. If the weather
happens to be warm, putrefaction com
mences before the salt “strikes" or is
absorbed, and the meat is lost; but if
the weather is cold, putrefaction is de
layed, the salt is absorbed and per
meates every tissue of meat, which is
thereby “cured.”
. The plan I propose involves no
greater expenditure of time, money or
labor than is required to procure of a
druggist a small quantity of the bi
sulphite of soda, and to mix with (he
food of the animal 20 grains, three
times a day, for a week before killing
him. This article, administered as I
have directed, would impregnate the
tissues of the animal, which would
then resist putrefaction after death at
long as the usual “cold spells” in winter,
would enable them to do in Georgia,
Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louis
iana and Texas.
The important fact that the alkaline
and earthy sulphites possessed the
power, in commou with sulphurous
acid, of preventing and arresting the
fermentative and putrefactive processes,
is the discovery of Professor Polli, of
Milan; and the discovery has been
utilized by him, Dr. Deßicci, of. Dub
lin, and Dr. Pourdon, of Belfiist,-: or
the successful treatment of what are
kuown as zymotic diseases. Amongst
the experiments which proved the cor
rectness of their theories, and led to
this great discovery, the benefits of
BY THE CHRONICLE PUBLISHING COMPANY*. AUGUSTA, GA.
FOR THE WEEK ENDING SATURDAY. FEBRUARY 10, 1872.
I lose to extend to the art of j
i, was this : “Two animals!
i, size and condition were j
a few days, with exceii- j
9 one of theim, a certain
talphite was administered j
ie passed off, gave evident
presence of .the salt in the
Both animals were then j
xposed to the same con-!
At, moisture, &c., Ac. It!
M - and the weather being i
when these experiments
ont,initrefactive fermenta
»n set in, but only in the
tom no sulphite had been
, the sulphurized animal
i.. still remaining fresh
for man/ days after the other one had
long passed into an advanced stage of
of decomposition."
It seems clear - to my mind that if
the flesh of an animal that has been
fed as above described, can be kept “in
very warm weather” several days after
it has been killed, the farmer may feel
absolute indifference to the changes of
the weather in winter, and ( by the em
ployment of the sulphites, successin*
•'curing” all bis meat becomes a fixed
certainty.
Will the meat of an animal fed on the
sulphites become poisonous to man?
I answer, emphatically, No. Speaking
of its use as a remedy for the zymotic
diseases, Dr. Deßiioi says: “I think
I can safely assert that I have proved
this remedy, the bi sulphite of soda, to
be perfectly harmless. It is not, like
strychnine, arsenic, iodine, opium or
mercury, an instrument with a double
edge, cutting equally, for good or for
evil, according to the skill or capacity
of the physician. It is perfectly harm
less, for I have taken it myself in
larger doses than are required for
therapeutic purposes with perfect im
punity.”—G. Tkoup Max well,in Tal
lahasse Floridian.
Utility of Recording Experiments- 1
Progress is the result of many
failures, with partial successes, attained
only by slow and persistent effort.
Nothing of all that makes up the sum
« human comfort, however complete
i may seem, is incapable of improve
ment. This is true of the steam
engine, the telegraph, the printing
press, the loom and the plow. It is
sad to think that mankind lose more
than they retain, because successful ex
periments were unrecorded, occasioned
bjyioverty, carelessness or selfishness
of the discoverer, or his secret dying
with him ; sometimes from other and
various reasons.
With farmers nearly everything is
of the nature of an expei intent, either
as a science or an art In consequent*
of the uncertainty of the season, it
may never he otherwise. But as some
things are determined, it is reasonable
to suppose that others may be. Some
of the commonest operations of hus
bandly are undecided Take that of
pruning apple trees, for instance; there
is only agreement as to when it should
not be done. About plowing there is
as great diversity of opinion, particu
larly as regards depth for diffemt soils
and kinds of plows to be used.
When to cut grass is another mooted
question, presenting a great variety of
views; one thing only being settled—
that hay must be made when the sun
shines. When to cut timber has been
discussed time otfj, of mind, yet who
knows positive about it ?
This topic, like others, remaining as un
decided as ever. Bo illustrations might
he multiplied almost indefinitely.
At first it may seem strange
that there need bji diversity of opinion
upon subjects with which every one is
: supposed to be familiar. The difficulty is
just here. What |oo often passes for
opinion is prejudice, guess work, tradi
tion or hearsay. By repetition, a
guess becomes opinion, based on a worth
less foundation and for this reason
tenaciously held to. If farmers would
keep accurate records of their work,
they would be benefitted, and ultimate
ly the community likewise. If a re
cord is made of the time for pruning
trees and the result of the same, of
plowing time, condition of the soil
and weather, the telling of timber and
for what purpose used, the cutting of
grass, time and kind, and fed
how ; all this nsuld involve but little
labor, and the results would be of the
greatest value. %
Taking these records for
.data,- Something / rani utility could he
determined. To a limited extent this
is being done—an encouraging fact—
but the advancement is slower than if
the interest were general. For lack of
systematic action, farmers grope in the
dark, no wiser in many respects than
their ancestors ; for in some branches
of agriculture knowledge is at a stand
still. No other department of indus
try is so laggard. Facts, not theories,
are wanted, and if all could see it and
each do his part, ere long results would
be obtained settling many vexed ques
tions, which can never he done hap
hazard guess-work. —Boston Cultiva
tor.
Worth of the Sweet Potato.
KY I)«. 11. W. I'ETEKS.
The sweet potato is a tender peren
nial plant, of the “Morning Glory"
family; is a native of China and the
Indies, and was imported into and cul
tivated in England as early as 1597.
It now forms one of tha most import
ant crops of the South. In the Ca”o
linas, and other extreme Southern
States, its yield is enormous—five hun
dred bushels is not an unusual crop,
but they are greatly inferior in quality
to those grown in the latitude of Mem
phis and its vicinity. Two hundred
bushels to the acre is considered a very
satisfactory yield here; yet we have
known our friend John Ilarbert, who
lives on the suburbs of Memphis, to
average three hundred bushels to the
acre on a twenty acre field. Mr. Ilar
bert is acknowledged to be our most
successful sweet potato grower. He
never fails to keep them the year
round ; never sells any until spring,
and disposes of the hulk of his crop in
May, June and July, thus always
getting a remunerative price.
The earlier varieties can be grown
with some degree of success in the
Middle and Western States, hut they
never mature in the extreme North.
It is a matter of surprise when we
consider how imperfect our knowledge
is of this valuable esculent. Its no
menclature is so little known and un
derstood, that it would be almost im
possible to order from a distance any
particular variety (except the Yellow
Yam) with a hope of getting what you
want. The names sweet potatoes are
known by, are almost as numerous as
the different localities in which they
are to he found. We do not find this
to be the case with the Irish potato,
whose home is jjirther North. The
Peachblow, Pinkeye, Russet, Goodrich,
Rose, and many others, are recognized
and known throughout the whole
country. We don’t see why this should
not be the case with the sweet potato.
If our agricultural societies would give
ns less horse-racing, pigeon-shooting,
dog shows, baby-exhibitions, and other
nonsense, and turn their attention more
to subjects of this kind, it would cer
tainly accomplish more good for the
country. Who ever heard of any one
planting sweet potato seed with a view
of testing and improving varieties?
This is a wonderful age of improve
ment ! See how much has been accom
plished for the North in improving her
great staple—the Irish potato—by such
men as Prof. Goodrich, A. W. Ham
son, and many others.
The sweet potato crop is, without
doubt, worth as much to the South as
the Irish-petato mto tho North. As
an article of feed it is not inferior to
any crop we grow. It can be produced
at comparatively little cost; is very
palatable and nutritions. Horses, cattle
and hogs eat sweet potatoes freely.
Considering our dependence on the
Northern and Western States ior so
large a portion of our provisions and
food, we should certainly give this
great crop more consideration. Another
great evil, as we conceive, is the uni
versal practice of using the small tu
bers for our plants Our best authori
ties agree that the same laws that
govern in the reproduction of animals
hold equally good in the vegetable
kingdom. Who would think of using
nubbins for seed corn, or saving seed
from the small, indifferent cabbage
that might not be desirable for the
table? Would you breed your mares
to ponies if you desired to raise large
draught horses? We think this a sub
ject well worth our consideration.
Much has been said and written as to
the best mode of preserving the sweet
potato through the winter. Some con
tend that banking is the best; others
cellars or caves are the best places to
keep them. It is the opinion of some
tbit the tubers should be thoroughly
dried before putting away to keep.
Wc have had no little experience, and
can say with confidence that it is a mat
ter of no consequence whether they
are diy or wet when put up to keep at
digging time. They are then full of
sap, and always go through what is
termed the sweating stage very soon
after being put in a heap. During this
stage they become quite wet, and
should have plenty of air. This will
last until some time in December, when
they should be closed up and kept dry.
and at a temperature of 45° to 55°
Fahrenheit. If these rales be observed,
it matters not by what method they
are put away, they will keep from dig
ging time until -digging time again.
We hope our practical men will take
this subject in hand, and that our sweet
potatoes will not be behind in the great
advance now being made in every di
rection.
Onion Salve is made with one
fourth ponnd of fresh butter and good
sized onion, simmered together and
strained when out.
(OLD SERIES,)
l VOL. 111. ;
The Value of Cotton Seed as Plant and
Animal Food.
For a long time but little use was
made of the seed of the cotton plant,
save as a crude manure by the pro
ducers themselves, as they had no
market for it; hut as the science of
agriculture has progressed and this ar
ticle utilized, it may not be improper
to number it among the important
crops of our country, and will in time
occupy a position in agriculture per
haps along with cotton itself. It is
claimed that machinery has been adapt
ed to meet every emergency; certain
it is that oil cake is now a very common
article of food. Chemical analysis
proves that oil cake contains nearly 75
per cent, of nutriment, and brought in
comparison with any “pabulum,” say
the best of hay (which never contains
more than 60 per cent, of nutrition),
we at once see the groat importance
and superiority with reference to balk,
for by reason of its density a vast
quantity can be stored in a small
The object of machinery is to pass the
seed through a certain process by which
it is separated into three parts, namely:
hull, oil and cake. Seed in its crude
state is worth in our various home
markets of the South from sl2 to sls
per ton, and a ton of crude seed will
yield, within a very small fraction, a
barrel of oil and about 750 lbs. of
oil cake, the former worth about 50
cents per gallon, the latter 18 to 20
cents per pound in the same markets.
The cost of machinery is so great as to
deter many capitalists from undertaking
what would most certainly prove a pro
fitable investment. Let us estimate the
cost of a press at, say, $3,300. Practi
cal works on this subject say a capital
of at least $25,000 is requisite lor a
fully equipped mill. Now, if ouv plant
ers have not a sufficient capital to have
each a mill of his own, let a neighbor
hood buy, or if they will not do this,
better than a sale of the/Crude seed is
the purchase of a machine for hulling.
One that took the premium at the
Louisiana State Fair cost S2OO, and is
guaranteed to shell one hundred bush
els iu twelve hours. Two rollers of
iron with projecting teeth remove the
shell from the seed, a draught ot air
winnows it and blows the hulls through
one opening, while the whole seed falls
through another, and the broken frag
ments are sifted and find egress through
another. For such as wish to use
their cotton seed as manure this ma
chine is all they need ; for by throwing
the belt off from the separator the seed
can be ground to any degree of fineness.
By referring to the schedule prices of
the New York market, we find the va
lue of hulled seed in proportion to un
hulled as 100 to 33. Now, by deduct
ing the rate of transportation from tho
point of production to New York the
net proceeds can be estimated; besides
the planter retains the hulls for manure.
By analysis, the principal ingredients
of the hull are said to be: Carbonate
of potash, carbonate of lime, phosphate
of lime.
Again, planters may find it to their
advantage to feed stock on the hailed
seed in preference to shipment, as it
forms a good, strong, and, since it con
tains all its native oil, we might term
it a rich food. If (ed to milch cows
the quautityof milk is greatly increasd,
and without any injurious or unpleasant
effects. My only endeavor has been to
no. n