200 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER . 



Rains and dews are fatal to young ducks, 

 and care should be taken not to allow them to 

 be exposed to either, as it subjects them to 

 cramps which leave them debilitated and use- 

 less ever afterwards, with few exceptions. 



The most approved mode of fattening ducks 

 is to feed well, and confine them to such situa- 

 tion as may give them access to water, but not 

 such as they can swim in. But I would re- 

 commend a systematic course of good feeding 

 throughout, which produces the best flesh — 

 and a medium between uncontrolled liberty 

 and close confinement. If garbage, fish, or 

 ether highly flavored food is used to fatten 

 ducks they will taste of it when on the table. 

 Pucks raised in a fishing village, when served 

 up have "a very ancient and fish-like smell," 

 which must be the consequence of their feeding 

 'on the refuse guts, and the waifs of the fisher- 

 man's hooks and nets. 



Cramps and paralysis are the principal dis- 

 eases which affect ducks; and the best cure, 

 generally, is to kill them; for there is little 

 hope of their recovering from a severe affection 

 of this sort. As they are gluttonous feeders, 

 and require considerable quantities of small 

 stones, or gravel, to aid their digestion, they 

 sometimes pick up minerals of a poisonous na- 

 ture. There is, however, little risk from this 

 evil in those instances where natural privileges 

 favor the proper keeping of ducks; and, as I 

 said before, where these are not present, it 

 were best to decline the cultivation of this kind 

 of stock. Noxious water, too, sometimes proves 

 fatal in its use ; but, where this is it is not very 

 probable that duck keeping will be prosecuted 

 to any height. 



PACKING PROVISIONS FOR MARKET. 

 B. P. Johnson, Sec'y State Ag. Society. 



Dear Sir — I take this late* opportunity of 

 answering, as far as I am able, the inquiries 

 made by yourself and Prof. Geo. H. Cook, on 

 the " Curing of Provisions, 1 ' &c. These sub- 

 jects have commanded a part of my study and 

 attention, as well as experience and observa- 

 tion, for above twenty years past, as they per- 

 tain to a part of my business, and if what fol- 

 lows will be at all useful or interesting, it is 

 most willingly given. 



"The Discoloration of (salted) Provisions, 

 particularly Beef," &c. You are aware, no 

 doubt, that the greatest quantity of the "bar- 

 relled beef" sent to foreign markets, is packed 

 in the heat; great portions are of young cattle, 



* As I was at Washington, when your letter arrived, 

 excuse this kte answer. T. F. D, V. 



fattened on grass, principally of a quick and 

 large growth, and are what we New York 

 butchers call "grass-fed beef." The beef when 

 fresh, will eat soft, tender, juicy and sweet, but 

 will not have the delicious flavor, solidity or 

 firmness, weight, or the heart or nourishment, 

 that stall fed (with grain) beef has. It appears 

 to me, as soon as the salt touches grass fed 

 beef, it draws back, shrinks into a smaller com- 

 pass, and changes to a dark color, as if there 

 was not firmness or solidity to resist the action 

 of the salt; and when boiled, especially if salted 

 a long time, will shrink very much, leaving it 

 tasteless, juiceless, without heart or substance, 

 and when cut of a dark color. " Stall-fed beef," 

 on the contrary, is like corn-fed pork; it has 

 the appearance (when properly cured) of being 

 firmer, brighter, plumper, or has a swelled look, 

 as if the well mixed fat protected the lean flesh. 

 We seldom hear of farmers or others salting 

 grass or milk-fed pork; they pen them up, and 

 feed as much corn (generally) as the animal will 

 take, for sometimes, months before slaughter- 

 ing, and when they are salted. I quote an old 

 saying, "put one pound of corn-fed pork in the 

 pot, it comes out two," which will apply to the 

 stall-fed beef. Many cure with nothing but 

 salt, (often bad tasted and dirty,) and the some- 

 times "muddy waters of our western rivers," 

 which gives it a dark yellow and dead appear- 

 ance. 



I have seen a great deal of this kind opened 

 for " Inspection," generally sweet; but the beef 

 had the appearance of having been taken from 

 grass-fed oxen, steers, heifers and cows, of mid- 

 dling fatness, and but a small quantity of stall- 

 fed and properly cured. Some years ago I 

 put up, for the use of a trading ship in the 

 Mediterranean, (and for several voyages) beef 

 from stall-fed steers, 3 to 6 years old, (for I 

 do not call them "oxen" until the animal is 

 full}- developed or grown, or until he has passed 

 the age of not less than six years,) the plates, 

 navels, and brisket pieces; took out all the 

 bones and tied it in rolls of about 10 lbs. each, 

 what I call "Scotch Roll," (and have sold 

 quantities before and since,) curing with salt, 

 sugar, saltpetre and spices. After being gone 

 a long voyage, part came back as bright and 

 handsome as the day it started, and always 

 gave satisfaction. 



Many persons ask, why it is that Irish (and 

 also English) beef is preferred before ours? 

 and of their using the name of " Ox Beef" 

 and " Navy Beef?" The reason is, that their 

 cattle are always, more or less, stall-fed on roots 

 and grain, and are properly cured, with the 

 best kinds of salt. Steers are seldom fed to 

 that extent and length of time that the ox is. 



