THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



201 



After the ox has become too old for work, he 

 is stall-fed for (sometimes) months longer, as 

 he fleshes and fattens slower than the steer, on 

 the same quantity of food. Both are, however, 

 strongly fed, as long as there is any improve- 

 ment, then slaughtered, cut in pieces of 8 or 

 1 lbs. packed in casks nearly twice the size of 

 our common provision barrels, and branded 

 "Navy Beef," or "Ox Beef," or both. Our 

 city (and eastern cities) cured beef, has always 

 been preferred, and commands a better price 

 than " Western Beef;" but the western packers 

 are improving, as many English and Irish 

 packers, within a few years past, have gone 

 out there to jmt up for the English and other 

 markets. I prefer steer to ox beef, both stall- 

 fed; because the steer's flesh, muscles, nerves, 

 sinews, &c, are all young and tender, never 

 having been called into the same action that 

 the old ox has, who has worked and labored 

 until his flesh, muscles, &c. have become hard, 

 tough, stringy, and sometimes strong flavored. 

 Give me prime, stall-fed steers, four or five 

 years old, strongly fed, not less than 6 months, 

 the four quarters weighing between 800 and 

 1,000 lbs., good, sweet, tight oak casks, Turks 

 Island salt, saltpetre and sugar, and I will 

 make as good, clean, bright, sweet, good colored 

 beef, and to keep as long, as man could ask 

 or wish for. 



On u the Discoloration of Coiv or Heifer 

 Beefy There are so many causes for disco- 

 loration, and the different shades, that is, from 

 a light to almost a black shade, that it is diffi- 

 cult to say, positively, without seeing it, or 

 name the cause, but I will say that, generally, 

 the cause of discoloration is in the curing, (or 

 handling, as the packers say,) and my reasons, 

 as they occur to me, are : the grown animal, 

 of packing qualities will not cause this dark 

 discoloration, without it has been salted before 

 the animal heat has left it, killed in a hot and 

 worried state, or diseased. These are some of 

 the causes. Some years ago I was often at an 

 inspection and packing establishment, . and I 

 might as well give my reasons for being so 

 often there. From information received from 

 England, I was induced to "pack" above 2000 

 dollars (as a trial) worth of large heavy " stall- 

 fed" cattle, say from 900 to 1*00 lbs. (4 qrs.) 

 cut and put it up, as directed, in tierces, con- 

 taining 38 pieces of about 8 lbs. each piece. 

 The report and returns were, that it was just 

 the thing wanted ; but when all expenses were 

 paid, I was a loser of about 150 dollars, which 

 stopped my packing. But to my reasons : A 

 great many lots from different packers were 

 opened for inspection. One in particular was 

 very much discolored, almost black, and quite 



dirty; the beef about the usual kind " barreled;" 

 and to trace the cause was some trouble, but I 

 wished to know it. It came from an irregular' 

 packer, who had used the steam boiled western 

 salt, (Salina, I think,) a great deal too much, 

 being about one bushel to every barrel ; from 

 10 to 12 oz. saltpetre, and the not settled, dirty 

 river water. You say, that "the English 

 packers say that this beef (cow or heifer) will 

 always discolor" I think they must mean 

 the flesh of small steers and heifers, about half 

 grown, poor and thin in flesh; this kind of 

 beef will be a shade darker than that of full 

 grown animals, all salted in the same manner. 

 The flesh of the ox and cow, or full grown 

 steers, is generally firmer, better beef color 

 (red) than the young steer or heifer, (which is 

 generally a dark veal color,) and of course will 

 be a better color " salted. ." 



The regular packer uses what they call " so- 

 lar salt," (ofttimes St. Ubes, or Bonaire, Turks 

 Island,) from 30 to 50 lbs. ; about 6 oz. salt- 

 petre to a barrel; and they have large vats, 

 where the river water settles before it is used. 

 Great quantities are sent to New York, to be 

 inspected and repacked', it is taken out, say 

 ten barrels at a time, tried if sweet, thrown in 

 different sections of a large circular bin around 

 the scales, according to qualities, inspected and 

 "barreled" or repacked, using Turks Island, 

 St. Ubes or Bonaire salt. The best quality is 

 marked "Mess Beef," principally in barrels; 

 the next best in tierces, marked " Prime Mess;" 

 3d best, " Railroad" or " Prime," with the In- 

 spector's name, which generally gives it charac- 

 ter and sale. Respectfully yours, 



Thomas F. De Yoe, 

 Butcher, No. 7-8 Jefferson Market. 



Neiv York, Dec. 24, 1852. 



VALUE OF DEEP TILLAGE AND DRAINING. 



BY W. W. WRIGHT, OF OBERLIN, OHIO. 



Friend Broivn, — This evening, while looking 

 over your truly valuable paper, and observing 

 its interesting correspondence, I was reminded 

 of the partial promise I made you when last 

 we met, to give you some little account of my 

 ways and doings. 



Well, as my acres are not so numerous as 

 those of some of your correspondents, I am 

 endeavoring to get as much land to the acre 

 as possible. My title runs pretty deep, so if 

 there is any thing valuable beneath the mere 

 surface, I am bound to have it. My intention 

 is, to double the amoiint of my land, without 

 enlarging my farm. 



I expect to save, in the first place, the taxes 

 on an equal amount of land. Also, I have no 



