VOL. VII. OCTOBER 31, 1839. EDMUND RUFFIN, EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR. ON KEEPING SWEET POTATOES. To the Editor of the Farmers' Register. No. 10. SQUASHES Cessary, I would willingly give a description of; but, as almost every farmer knows how the cellars in common use are made, I think it unnecessary; except to say, (and that is very important,) that South Carolina, August 25th, 1839. the upper part of mine is left open throughout its I have thought, for some time past, of giving whole length, and over which, to keep out rain, a you an answer to some inquiries on the subject of short set of rafters are straddled, lathed, and a preserving sweet potatoes, in your last November course of three feet boards nailed on each side. I number, my mode of keeping them, and the am of the opinion, that it would be an advantage only practice I have found uniformly successful. I to extend the roof down to the edge of the ditch have tried many of the plans that have been re- that surrounds the house, in which case the covercommended for some years past. That recom-ing of earth would not be necessary to be so thick mended by your Georgia correspondent, P. C. H. I have been more successful in than any other; but have been frequently subjected to disappointments and losses, which resolved me, almost, to leave off raising any more than my family could use by digging time. And, I will here remark that, in my opinion, the practice of leaving a hole in the top of the bulk has been the cause of the distruction and loss of more potatoes, than all other practices together. as is common. My puncheons were split in the spring previous to building my house, and laid up to dry; and for several days previous to putting in my first potatoes, which consisted of all those that were cut or broken in digging and removing to the bulks, I had a small fire kept up in the house; and my practice has been to keep up a little smoke in it for a few days after removing each bulk to it, and also, during every cold spell through the winter. Having, in the fall of 1832, commenced putting Keeping only the slat shelter closed in mild weaup my crop as usual, one of neighbors who hap- ther, and in cold weather, closing both; but, at pened to be at my house, and to whom I was no time do I close up the opening at the top of the complaining of my bad success in keeping pota-house, which is intended for the escape of moistoes, requested me to let him superintend the put-ture and smoke. Thus, differiing with almost ting up my crop; stating at the same time, on every one else, in closing my bulks which are my expressing some doubts as to his practice, commonly left open, and in leaving the top of my that if my potatoes rotted, he would furnish me cellar open, which is usually closed by others. I seed gratis the next spring. I agreed to his pro-would here remark, that the opening spoken of, is posal, and attended him to my garden to witness nothing more than the cracks at the ends of the his modus operandi. puncheons, at least three inches of which should be left naked. He first levelled a bed of suitable size, for the quantity of potatoes intended for the bulk; but did I have found my cellar very convenient for keepnot raise it, as recommended by P. C. H., as tak-ing roots of every description in, for winter and ing the earth to the depth of eight or ten inches spring use; such as beets, carrots, parsnips, &c., from around the bulk, to cover it with, would leave and one winter I kept a crop of cauliflowers in it, the potatoes sufficiently elevated. After levelling, (the heads of which continued to grow for some time he laid on some dry straw, (not much,) and on after removing them from my garden; the roots that the potatoes. When the heap was finished, having been laid together, and lightly covered of the usual form, straw was laid over, of sufficient with moist earth in packing them away), thickness to keep the dirt from mixing with the Potatoes should, invariably, be dug before a potatoes; then earthed entirely over, and made heavy frost; for, I have found that whenever the compact, to the depth of a foot; the soil being of vines were thoroughly killed, those potatoes neara loose and open nature. The object being to ex-est the top of the hill were injured. They should clude the air entirely; the "sine qua non.' ,, also, be carefully handled, as they are frequently "It is important" said my friend, "to have a good bruised, and much injured, by throwing them to shelter over the bulk, for, wherever water pene- the piles, and into baskets; and, also, in emptying trates to the potatoes, there you will find, on open-them into the baskets. Most persons recommend ing the bulk, some rotten ones; but otherwise all them to be well dried, before putting them up; I will be found perfectly sound. There should, also, would prefer airing them, myself, weather permitbe a drain leading from the excavation around the ting; but have put them up on the same day they bulk, (which should be smoothed out at bottom,) were dug, and found them as sound on opening to draw off the water that might, by standing too my bulks, as those that had been dried. long, be taken up, and injure the potatoes.' In looking over some volumes of the American Thus, I have given you sir, in my loose way, Farmer, a valuable work which I commenced my friend's mode, which I have practised for six taking in 1829, and which very much alarmed years, with entire success. I put up both my eat- some of my friends, least I should be ruined by ing and seed potatoes in this way; my bulks "book-farming," I find some information on the standing at the base about four feet apart, and on subject of the preservation of sweet potatoes, that a line, so that my shelter may be continued the you may think worth transferring to the Farmers whole length of the line of bulks; breaking when Register, for the benefit of your readers, particuwanted for use, one at a time, and removing it to larly in the 12th vol. p. 139 and in the 14th vol my potato house. Which, if I thought it was ne- | pp. 75, 193 and 258. VOL. VII-73 I have always been afraid to venture on keep-will produce them as many pigs as they may be ing a large quantity of potatoes in a cellar, as prepared to rear through the winter for family or seems to have been the practice of the writers of market use, and to have this lot of young sows the communications above referred to; but do be-kept in a lot sufficiently close to prevent males lieve the smoke (as recommended by them) to be from getting to them. Should the grazing on the absolutely necessary in preserving, even a small blue grass or clover not be sufficient to keep them quantity, any length of time; and the authority is in a good healthy growing condition, I would advery good, that it will have the desired effect with vise a small proportion of corn, given regularly any quantity. morn and noon, to assist their regular growth. I will only add in conclusion of the subject, And as I have, from my own experience with a friend Ruffin, (and I consider you the best friend lot of eleven head, having only ordinary blue grass of every farmer,) that if any one of your readers, woodland pasture, made a regular practice morn should not have faith in the plan I have above at- and noon, of giving them 8 or 10 ears of corn at a tempted to recommend, let him try it on a small, feed, I can say with safety, by so doing you will be scale. And I am certain his faith will be strength-well paid for your husbandry. Your sows will ened by works." have health, good sleek coats of hair and good stamina, and they will not be hurried in their growth, then the animals will be much more capable of propagating. Young sows kept in this way will weigh from 120 to 160 lbs. when about 8 months old. As I have some room left, I will communicate a fact to my brother farmers, the knowledge of which (if acted on,) will, in my opinion, prove highly advantageous to them, particularly those in the southern states that have no clover pasture for their hogs to run on, at a season of the year Sows are susceptible of conceiving when 4 or 5 when food for them is generally scarce; and where months old; but for better size and form, I would stubble land should be at rest, instead of having recommend not to breed them until they are about every thing eaten off of it, and trod to death in 8 months old, that their first littering will be when the bargain. But, to the fact; it is, that I am at they are about 12 months of age. Sows impregthis time feeding to my hogs (a small stock,) two nated from the 20th to the last of December will bushels of squashes daily. This from a half acre bring pigs from the 10th to the 30th April, as the of poor land, manured in the hill with the scra-period of gestation is about 112 days. I have a pings about my pens, principally corn-cobs. Hav-number on record of the above age, and find their ing last spring, resolved on the experiment, I laid produce to be from 8 to 13 pigs a litter. I know off an acre of land for the purpose; but, could not the usual wants of the farmers, by hearing them procure seed to plant so much. The half, there- frequently observe, by their fire side, “let me have fore, that was intended for the latter planting, I my stock of pigs to come the first of March," and had planted in pumpkins; and although the sea- at the same time, unconsious of the danger of son had been unfavorable to both, the yield has severe storms and bold blasts in March-and the been astonishing; and has convinced me, that little economy they have in providing shelters for vines will amply pay a man for the additional trou-their sows-frequently lose there entire s'ock of ble of cultivating them to themselves; not taking pigs, which is of no small value to a farmer that into account the injury corn sustains by crowding them on the same ground with it. In gathering my squashes (of which I have a great variety) I have my patch gone regularly over, so as to use them before they become too hard; but if some should become so, they are not lost; for my hogs appear to be equally as fond of them as the soft ones. As soon as they are penned, I intend to commence feeding my fattening hogs on the pumpkins; first boiling and mixing a small proportion of corn and cob-meal with them; and to continue that food as long as they last. Then with dough made from the meal, and to finish on. I have never known any person besides myself, to raise the squash with the view only of feeding hogs, though it has in all probability been done. I am very sanguine in the belief however, that if the value of the article as food for hogs, was gene. rally known, the practice of raising them for that purpose would be, in the south, universally pursued. To conclude, if by writing this communication, I can succeed in introducing such practices as are recommended, I shall be happy in believing that I have not lived altogether for myself. S...... BREEDING AND REARING SWINE. From the Franklin Farmer. For economy, I would advise the farming community to select out of their herd of swine, every spring, as many female pigs as they may think has his plan laid out to rear a great number of hogs, consequently must buy a stock; or sell their grain at reduced price. I have experienced the loss more than once, to a considerable amount, consequently I have postponed breeding as before mentioned. Thus I have the security of better weather and the benefit of vegetation, which has a good tendency to correct any indisposition in sows, which frequently occurs in animals as well as human beings. They are subject to inflammatory colds, and fever succeeding, dries up their milk, the pigs perish and death intervenes. To insure the farmer a quick and rapid grawth in his lot of pigs, let them come about the last of April, (say 20th) which is far preferable to March pigs, which have sustained much injury while very young. Stunted by frost and hunger, they cannot be well resuscitated by the best of attention afterwards. In an ordinary way, sows suckle their young in the spring from six to eight weeks, but in the fall the sows frequently wean their young in about six weeks. I would say to make your pigs thrive and grow on without much injury in their looks from weaning time, the better way is to prepare a covered pen for your pigs, and have a hole sufficiently large so they can go in and out at pleasure, and always keep shelled corn by them. Be particular to commence thus feeding when they are about three weeks old, and it will aid the sow in rearing them, consequently they will wean them kindly and grow on without any ill effects which are common to weaning. These pigs will have age and suf regular time for feeding (morning and evening) and if any animal stands in danger from the want of regular feeding while pregnant, it is the sow; and there is great danger of their being fed too much at a time, by careless or inexperienced servants, which is apt to produce abortions. Another cause is the severe weather on sows, snow and wet weather, when they have frequently to make their beds in the snow, and sometimes in mud and water-when shelters are not provided for them; this is the cause why we so often hear our farmers say all their sows have slunk their pigs, and shall have no pigs in the spring, and another cause still more particular I leave to the careful to observe; when my sows are half gone with pig, (sometime in February,) without fail I separate my sows and put them in lots (4 or 5 in number) to prevent from laying one upon another along in February and March cold snowy spells, which causes them, by oppression, to miscarry. This is the time that the greatest care should be taken with sows, as the period of littering is close at hand, for if they should miscarry, you have again to breed them, when their pigs will come late and much time lost. ficient growth by good clover and blue grass-will snow is off the ground; always providing a comwinter kindly, which will insure the farmer a regu-fortable dry shed or houses for them, having a lar growth in his lot of hogs by the common mode of corn feeding, or following corn-fed cattle, the excrements they collect from them is equal to cooked or steamed malt. After weaning their litter of pigs, I would advise all the old sows to be spayed, while reduced in flesh by suckling, as the period is most favorable. A careful hand perfor ming the operation in the left side, I seldom or ever lose any of that age and healthy rearing. They will fatten kindly, and make about as much weight at selling time as their brothers of the same litter. You now perceive I do not winter any hogs more than one winter. I can say from experience, that sows with pig, winter better than barrows. They should be kept in a large woodland pasture if practicable by themselves, to prevent any injury from other hogs. Be careful to have a house or shelter to protect them in imclement weather. Continue to select every spring the best female pigs out of your litters, as many as you may think will produce as many pigs as you may want to breed from, and by so doing you may rear your hogs on your farm at a moderate calculation of 20 per cent over above the prevailing practice of the day. As in the common way the farmer has his males and female running together at large, then they may expect to have litters of pigs every month in the year; the uneveness of the lot of hogs and consequently the stronger will be certain to abuse the weak (a hog is a hog by name and nature) and having masterly strengh and in all cases the weaker are driven from their food and comfortable shelter in the forest; and in many cases we have a proof of the uneconomizing rural system of our farmers by having all sizes and ages. In our usual winters we see the small class of hogs, when pinched with cold, deep snows and wet weather, fall victims of death by smothering and suppression by the larger class being with the small ones. On all occasions hogs ought to be separated and classed according to size, and kept in the woodland pastures where they may provide shelter in the forest foliage. Every farmer should provide himself with hog houses in his wood-land pastures where they can get the foliage of the forest to make their beds. The best place for these houses should be selected on the south or north-east side of a hill, so as to receive the warmth of the sun in the winter, and on a moderate slope so as to drain off the water, and that the sun may the better dry and warm the earth. As to form I am not particular, but always recommend the shelter to be close and dry; to aid in keeping dry much care should be observed, in trenching around the house to turn the water. Rearing a herd of blooded females swine; spring and summer treatment; breeding and winter treatment. They should be left in a lot sufficiently large for exercise, containing plenty of water (for wallowing) and shade. If the grazing is not sufficient, I would advise a little corn, dish-water, slops and soap-suds, mixed together, to be given them, so as to keep the animals in a good healthy look, but by no means like fattening, to hurrying them in their growth. My practice for winter treatment; afier my sows are all pregnant, if practicable, I always have a large field of clover or meadow for their grazing, or put them on rye or wheat fields, and let them graze about 24 hours, twice a week, when the Breeding of blooded sows.-When they have attained to the age of eight months or thereabout, my practice is to breed them between the 1st and 15th Dec., so as to make their littering to the latter end of March, and by having shelters or houses for their littering in, I can venture_breeding sooner than I would otherwise advise. I can rear this litter and have my sows stinted to boar, and bring the second litter in and about the 1st and middle of September, so as to have time to rear them and so they will stand the ensuing winter. Then my sows can have about a month's rest until the 1st Dec., which I very much approve of for breeding again, and by so doing I have three litters in the period of 12 months. You now see the months I prefer for my blooded sows to litter, end of March and the 1st of April. The second litter from 1st to 15th Sept., and the 3d Ittter the latter end of March and 1st of April, which makes the period I have noticed. In stinting my sows to the boar according to the time mentioned, I have been very particular to aid my memory by committing to writing the time when they were stinted and the mode of stinting. I was in the habit of the old custom in my first beginning of doing business in this way. I soon saw there was an error some where, and my intentions were defeated some how -as I would reserve my lot of common sows to be bred in December, so as to bring the pigs the 1st of April when the weather was warm, and the old custom would be to let the boar go with some twenty or thirty sows, with the expectation of having a lot of pigs of one age, and in a common way there would come in season at one time in all probability one-third of the sows. Admit the boar to be in good health and a full flow of animal spirits and strength, he will soon by severe service be impotent, and consequently only the first few sows may be impregnated. The sows will in all probability continue to come in season, and the boar still reducing every day, and yet his lasciviousness keeps him incapable of being fruitful. Hence, I found by experience my sows were unproductive, some having two or three pigs, and they coming in much later than I expected, consequently I would re commend one boar to every ten sows, where you teat; now whilst coufined before littering, give them want all your pigs of one age and of good size. two ears of corn morning and evening, and a plenOf all the animal creation that I have any acquain-ty of water until they have farrowed. After they tance with, the boar and ram will lose their jui- have littered, give nothing but water for 24 hours; ces faster from gendering. I will aver that a boar then give two or three ears of corn night and mommay be in good health and high condition of ani- ing, for some four or five days, never give nch mal spirits, and just let him with a lot of sows slops for some four or five days before and aler twenty or thirty in number, and in four weeks time littering, for they are not in good health, but leverhe will lose one hundred pounds weight, and you ish, &c., and rich food will increase the fever, swell may feed him with what corn he may want to eat. the teats, so that the pigs cannot draw them, more My young maiden sows, I hardly ever permit especially in warm weather. I have known into be served but one time; my reason for this is stances of the milk entirely drying up from fever, that the old boars are too heavy and strong for and the pigs die for the want of it. Our affertion them; he mashes them down when they are wil-frequently takes precedent of reason, by giving in ling; if not, he hunches them with his nose, and to supposed calls of nature, therefore many feed bruises them so much, that it impedes their growth their sows on the richest food immediately after forever afterwards. It is astonishing to think how littering. It also produces that very injurious disthey frequently support them. I disapprove under ease among the pigs-scours. any circumstance of letting the male to a sow more than once when he is in good order. I recommend an aged male to maiden sows in all cases to secure large, sprightly, and well formed pigs, and more prolific. I have kept a true accouut heretofore of this practice. I let a lot of seven sows run with the boar until they have done with him and kept their several dates. I also had a lot of young and old sows. I let the boar out of his pound and let him serve them once a piece and kept their several dates. There was but one out of six that did not stand, and out of the lot of seven, there were two which did not stand. The lot of six produced from six to eleven pigs a piece, and the lot of seven did not produce as many pigs by four as the six. I kept both lots in the same manner with care, and they answered their several dates in littering, the period of gestation being about sixteen weeks. If you stint your sows to the boar only one time and you keep her in a lot to prevent other males, and she stands, she will be very sure to bring forth from 111 to 113 days; but if permitted to run with the boar when she is in season until she is done, I have recorded a number of instances and dates where they have varied from the set time of 111 to 116 days. This convinces me of the injury the boar sustains, and the sows receive no benefit. From his masterly strength she is constrained to do what nature does not desire, therefore the great discrepancy in the supposed period of gestation. Particular feeding.-I always give my sows dish-water slops when practicable through the winter, in a trough, sufficiently long that they may all feed out of it withont scuffling, with a pole confined on each end of the trough, and also to keep their feet out of the slop and keep them from fighting and slipping over the rotundity of the trough. The ammonia in the dish water will suit impregnated sows much better than strong salt. I had twelve head last winter in the severest weather and deep snows; I never gave but three ears of corn to each head, morning and evening, and when the snow was off, my feed was from one to two ears to each head, morning and evening. Treatment.-When in some two or three days of their littering, I always separate my sows and put them in sheds or houses by themselves; I prepare leaves for their beds (if practicable) as I prefer them to straw or hay; they are light and warm and there is no danger of the young pigs getting entangled, as they do sometimes in straw; being very weak, they die before they get to the Treatment after the pigs are some five or ten days old.-The sows should be kept separate from each other at least ten days after littering to secure the pigs affections to their own mother, and to prevent them in large herds of pigs from this evil, which is so common when the sows are permitted to run and litter together. The strong pigs will suckle all the sows, for their superior strength will free the weaker and younger from their teats, and consequently soon become puny and weak, which if kept as I have described, has a good bearing to prevent them. I can say from experience that every pig will have their own teat, and regularly as the sow calls or permits them to suckle, they will return to their own, unless forced away by the stronger. My practice is, after they have arrived at the age before mentioned, to put them in a lot of grass selficient for their grazing and exercise, with a p'eny of shade and water, if practicable, and always keep other stocks of hogs away from them of any size, for the purpose of keeping the sows from fighting, and running over and crippling the young pe which is pretty generally the case if they are permitted to feed with the sows and pigs. I teed my sows while suckling with as much corn as they will eat up clean, and always if possible put he corn on smooth and dry ground for them. As for economy, from experience, I can say I am well paid for my husbandry, to have houses and sheds for winter feeding. My summer and fail feeding of slops to my sows while suckling their pigs is done in the following described manner-Have two barrels or tubs placed convenient to the troughs, then put into each barrel two pecks of rye and one peck of corn meal, one of wheat bran, then fill the barrels with kitchen slops and soap-suds, when not enough of this, make up the deficiency with water, frequently stirring it with a paddle, and in 24 hours by a summer heat it will be about as acid as common still beer. Commence slopping out of one tub the first day, leaving some of the slop in the tub to retain the acid for quick fermestation; the same evening fill up this tub again for the third day; now commence slopping the second day out of the tub, and re-fill in the evening as you did the first; now you have both your tubs fermented and a body of acid in them, you must keep it up by filling one every day; renew the meal and bran every two or three days by putting in ene peck of the three kinds mixed together in each tub, in the same proportion to the first put in. From this quantity I fed five aged sows and thir ty-one pigs three times every day, which took about twenty gallons altogether, leaving in the tub about 12 gallons to fill up on. I continued slopping them in this way for seven weeks, which | was about weaning time. In this time they consumed about twenty bushels, and at an average cost of 50cts. per bushel, they cost $10 expended in meal and bran. From these pigs I sold $310 dollars worth, leaving me some five or six pigs on hand. ON OAT PASTURE AND IMPROVEMENT OF Description of the Russia Hogs.-Their color is generally white, with long coarse hair, their head From Memoirs of the Philadelphia Agricultural Society. is long and coarsely featured, their ears are not so broad as the common variety of the country, Rockland Form, March, 9th, 1810. yet longer and narrower, and come regularly to Sir,--In compliance with your request, made a a point, projecting forward, andthey do not appear considerable time ago, I have inclosed a narrative to have so much command of them as other breeds; of the oat pasture; and several circumstances unthey have fine length and height, their bone is der which it has been introduced, with immediate large and fine, they stand well upon their pastern advantage to the live stock and worn fields. joints and trackers: quite industrious; they are thick I have endeavored to copy it from the fields through the shoulders, indifferently ribbed, (or themselves; I have however, designedly as it were suddenly inclined down) their plate or kidney bone gone back, to give another view, of some circumrather narrow and ovaling than otherwise, hams stances which are deemed important, and not with pretty good, though not so good as the Irish, Bed- a view to overcome your patience, but to remove ford or Berkshire, yet preferable to the variety; doubts, and introduce the experiments before you, they do not graze so well as many others; they in a different point of view. The inferences reswant more time to bring them into market than pecting the advantages, or use of the oat pasture, the above named breeds. Give them from 18 to 20 | have been, and still may be, deemed a whimsical months age, they will make very large hogs; they expedient to spend money; it may be ridiculed are quite prolific, their usual number is from nine by others. But as it has outlived, and overgrown to twelve pigs a litter. I have found their cross every thing of that nature here, there is some with the named breeds to be a valuable acquisition hope that it may become indigenous elsewhere: it to their grazing, aptitude to fatten, and rapid growth has been weighed for years under hopes and fears. at the same time. Not that I dread criticisms, made under circumstances which offer a bearing, in a private, and before the public tribunal, on equal ground, foot by foot with the critic. It would give satisfaction to convince, or to be convinced. Improvement is the goal towards which I bend my course. If a new path shall be pointed out, and which has with greater advantage been trodden for several years, and with a greater number of simple facts to recommend it, it will be cheerfully followed. Otherwise the course now beaten by some years experience, cannot be abandoned. I am most respectfully yours, Rearing, treatment and management of thorough bred male hogs. To ensure good size, form and fullness in their hams, straight in their stifle joints, and to give a good and regular growth, I seldom or ever suffer my boar to serve a sow until he has arrived to the age of 8 or 10 months, and older if possible. I give them a lot sufficiently large for exercise, and give food enough to keep them in a high state of flesh while growing; by so doing, I have no fears, from past experience, of injuring their libidinous propensities as so much objected to by aged men, who pretend to be hog growers in Kentucky. By this mode, I am satisfied that you will have stronger, more vigorous, active and regular sized pigs in every litter; and further more, you will find your sows in littering are not so apt to produce pigs dead, fitty and feeble, as when got by a young or poor boars. In this way I breed It is generally acknowledged, that the best land them, and, according to my former view, never may be reduced to sterility, from an injudicious rosuffering them to run at large with spayed sows, tation of crops. It remains in a great measure to &c. I believe by this treatment they will be good be proved, whether a farm, which from bad manproducers for ten or twelve years, if not longer.agement had been rendered barren, can be restored They are dangerous animals, and should not be permitted to run with horses and cattle. GEORGE CLYMER. ESQ. to its pristine fertility, by a treatment not beyond the reach of every farmer, (nor without the farm,) who possesses the land, free from incumbrances, which are nearly equal to the supposed value of his worn-out farm. When an inquirer examines the publications of those who have given the results of their experiments, it appears not only practicable, but easy: frequently however, some circumstance is not mentioned in the communication, or something not attended to by the reader, who intends to make the same successful experiments, but fails, from the causes stated. This is the practice that I have adopted, and shall follew unless I see some further information from the pen of some other writer upon the subject. I am always open to conviction, and willing to receive instruction, and will not spare time, trouble and expense to procure correct principles. I should be pleased to see some writer who has the weight and benefit of years and experience on his side, that I might look up to, as a son to a father, for further information, as I am but yet in the morning of life. I feel much delicacy in coming out in the columns of a public agricultural work, but still, The Rockland farm exhibited a subject for exfrom solicitation, and as a friend to the cause of agri-periment, as it had not only been reduced by cropcultural pursuits, I have ventured. We find re-ping, but generally, become a common for every |