634 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ Decembor 25, 18S4. 
A stack or two of Peas should also be threshed to afford a 
supply both of who'e and ground Peas, to be used principally 
for fattening pigs, and any surplus quantity can always be sold. 
Nicety of calculation in reference to live stock or growing crops 
is never quite reliable ; crops fail, animals die, notwithstanding 
our best efforts; and even with flourishing crops and healthy 
animals, we can hai’dly bring about results with mechanical 
precision, but we may do much to insure success by the exercise 
of forethought and care. 
Small-boned porkers not over 10 lbs. in weight command the 
highest price in the best mai’kets. Particular attention should 
therefore be given to this class, and a more generous diet adopted 
for it from the weaning than for the larger breeds. Milk thick¬ 
ened with meal, whole Peas and Mangolds, answer perfectly for 
them, and they ai’e I'eady for use at from sixteen to twenty weeks 
of age. Porkers do not increase in weight so fast as older pigs. 
Ignorance of this fact has led to much erroneous calculation of 
the cost of pig-keeping, for while a porker of twenty weeks may 
only show an average increase in weight of half a pound daily 
over the whole period of its existence, yet a pig of thirty to 
thirty-five weeks that has been regularly well fed, will show a 
daily average of double that weight. 
The process of curing pork for hams and bacon is simple and 
easily acquired. Hams weighing 20 lbs. or a pound or two more 
when dried are best liked, and this is our guide as to the size and 
age of pigs for that purpose. Pigs of 30 stones of 8 lbs., dead 
weight, are large enough, and killing begins when they are thirty 
weeks old. The carcases hang in the slaughter house twenty-four 
hours, they are then weighed, the heads cut off, and the remainder 
of the sides trimmed for salting in a simple pickle of salt with a 
little saltpetre. For the hams we have a separate pickle, con¬ 
sisting of 1 lb. of salt, oz. saltpetre, 14 oz. bay salt, 14 oz. 
Shallots, half oz. Coriander seed, half oz. Juniper berries bruised, 
quarter pound beef suet, and 2 lbs. treacle for each ham. We 
use large glazed pans, each containing two hams with the pickle, 
in which they are turned daily for a month. For the bacon we 
have large wooden troughs lined with sheet lead, each trough 
being deep enough to contain two flitches, which also remain in 
ickie a month. Bacon and hams are then taken to the smoking 
ouse and are kept there for two months, oak logs and sawdust 
only being used for the Smoking. Both bacon and hams so cured 
keep well, and it is a rare occui’rence for any of it to prove 
faulty. The hams are delicious in flavour, and we have repeatedly 
heard connoisseurs pronounce them to be perfect, and altogether 
superior to the ordinary ham of commerce. 
CHRISTMA.S POULTRY AND PRICES. 
Plentiful supplies, prime quality, and low praces are an¬ 
nounced in the reports of Christmas supplies in the metropolitan 
markets. Like ourselves, farmers are not unfrequently puzzled 
at prices for which prime birds have been purchased in London— 
prices altogether below ordinary country rates, and which long 
ago induced us to asc?rtain the fact that the bulk of such 
poultry is imported from the Continent, and being perishable 
it must be sold for what it will produce. Master and servant 
both should know this, so that complaints of exorbitant charges 
for the household supply may not appear unjust from the one 
and puzzling to the other. 
Quoting from the current reports we have the statement 
that “ so heavy are the supplies, that prices for turkeys and 
geese will rule at least Id. per lb. cheaper than the fixed quo¬ 
tations made by co-operative stores to their members.” The 
competition of the stores is very hardly felt by the ordinary 
retailer; but this year, at all events, there will be no difficulty 
in underselling these associations. “ There would be no agri¬ 
cultural depression if farmers fed poultry,” is the allegation of 
the salesmen who year by year are increasing their importations 
from the Continent. When French consignments first came to 
hand many dealers would not looat a French goose, but these 
same men are now buying hardly any other variety. The Nor¬ 
mandy geese are plump, well fed, and of excellent quality. 
They are bred by farmers having from five to a hundred acres. 
A Normandy goose weighs from 12 lbs. to 20 lbs., and can be 
retailed at Id. per lb., the wholesale price having been on 
Saturday Q>d. to (j^d. Even Russia is not too far away to 
compete, and the supplies from Italy are yearly increasing. 
From Ireland London receives many, the best coming from 
Wexford, on account of the greater mildness of the climate. 
Very few home-bred geese get into the market, the abolition of 
commons and the annexation of country roadsides by neigh¬ 
bouring landowners having destroyed much of the pasturage 
formerly supporting flocks. Several thousands annually, how¬ 
ever, are fattened in England, in the Colchester district more 
particularly. These lean geese are bought in Holland at from 
2s. Grf. to 3s. 3(Z. each. The feed or '• board ” is cheap in Essex, 
and the birds when fattened fetch from 5s. Gc/. to lOs. Three 
large feeders have about 12,000 ready for market. Turkeys 
killed and plucked come from Normandy in long cases, cleanly 
packed in straw, and if the weather be fairly suitable they remain 
in good condition for three weeks. French turkeys are con¬ 
sidered very fine. London also obtains this class of poultry 
from Russia and Italy. Ireland, again, is a producer on an 
extensive scale, and the English counties of Norfolk, Suffolk, 
Lincolnshire, Yorkshire, and Essex, in moderate quantities, like¬ 
wise fuimish the metropolis with its Christmas turkeys. Prices 
will probably vary, as they have always done, from 3s. Grf. to .two 
guineas. The wholesale price on Saturday night was Id. to l^d. 
per lb. for birds weighing from 8 lbs. to 12 lbs. Retail prices 
are expected to range according to the scale appended:—Under 
10 lbs., per lb.; 12 lbs., lO^r/.; 14 lbs., 114i/.; IG lbs., Is. l<i.; 
and under 18 lbs., Is. 2^d. 
Fowls at Christmastide always command “ long ” prices. 
Irish chickens from Wexford are much better fed than used to 
be the case, and consequently are in high favour with the 
dealers. The quality is improving annually, and Ireland cer¬ 
tainly renders important service to the sister country in the 
matter of poultry supplies. In a few parts of England, however, 
the breeding of fow s is considered profitable—for example, the 
counties of Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridge, Lincoln, and York. 
The finest qualities of fattened chickens and capons are of 
Sussex and Surrey origin. These chickens, or rather small 
fowls, cost about 2.?. a head, are fattened for a month, and sell 
for 3s. to 4s. Other chickens may be had from Is. 6d. to 2s. 
wholesale. Among foreign countries, Russia, Austria, and Hun- 
gai'y send us fowls. Aylesbury ducks require even more delicate 
treatment than turkeys. The fens of Norfolk and Suffolk, and 
the counties of Lincoln and York, also furnish large quantities. 
Irish ducks are of unequal quality. The Russian are often eaten 
at English tables. Of the other description of poultry now in 
season, Holland despatches to this country wild fowl of every 
variety; Austria and Hungary send hares; and Russia hares, 
partridges, and black game. The latter also come from Norway, 
from whence, too, we receive white hares. Pigeons in increasing 
numbers are arriving from Italy. 
Birmingham Agricultural Exhibition Society.—A meeting of the 
Council was held at the Queen’s Hotel, Birmingham, on Thursday last, the 
Mayor presiding. A letter was read from Lord Clarendon (the President), 
announcing that His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales had graciously 
consented to accept the office of President of the Society for 1835. On the 
motion of the Mayor, seconded by Mr. Holliday, it was unanimously resolved 
that the Earl of Clarendon be requested to convey to His Royal Highness 
the hearty thanks of the Council for the honour conferred upon them, and 
to express their due appreciation of the benefits likely to accrue to the 
Society and the agriculturists of the Midlands by the holding of an exhi¬ 
bition under the patronage of His Royal Highness. The date of show was 
fixed for November 28th, 30th, and three following days ; and the Council 
meet early in the spring to arrange the prize list, which, it is intended, shall 
be on a very liberal scale, and it is hoped that the President may be present 
on one or more days. Captain Heaton having won the £50 G-ame cock 
challenge cup with a bird he had recently purchased, has generously waived 
his right to the same, and left the cup open for future competition at Bir¬ 
mingham. Several matters of routine m connection with the late show 
were disposed of. The shorthorn show and sale is on March 4th, 5th, and 
6th, for which entries are now being made and preparations commenced. 
METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS. 
Camden Square, London. 
Lat.61° 32'40'' N.; Long. 0° 8' 0" W.; Altitude, 111 feet. 
DATE. 
9 A.M. 
IN THE DAY. 
Bain 
1884, 
December. 
Barome¬ 
ter at 32S 
and Bea 
Level 
Hygrome¬ 
ter. 
Direction 
of Wind. 
1 Temp, of 
1 Soil at 
1 1 foot. 
Shade Tem¬ 
perature. 
Radiation 
Temperature. 
Dry. 
Wet. 
Max. 
Min. 
In 
sun. 
On 
grass. 
Inches. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
IM 
Sunday . 
14 
29 999 
51.7 
48.7 
S.W. 
45.9 
63.2 
50.9 
56.3 
48.4 
0.345 
Monday. 
15 
29.7«5 
47.2 
4-).0 
w. 
45.8 
47.5 
40.0 
51 2 
33.7 
Tuesday. 
16 
30.003 
34.2 
33.0 
S.W. 
43.6 
43.4 
31.8 
49,4 
26.1 
0.124 
Wednesday .. 
17 
29 607 
37.4 
36.2 
S.W. 
42 2 
43.2 
33 1 
51.6 
29A 
— 
Thursday .... 
18 
29.989 
37.8 
34.9 
S.W. 
40.8 
49 8 
30.2 
49 8 
23.9 
0.239 
Friday. 
19 
29.'^^60 
40.8 
38.1 
w. 
40.8 
49.2 
36 9 
60.9 
32A 
0.132 
Saturday .... 
20 
28.890 
40.0 
38.2 
N.W. 
41.2 
45.3 
38.3 
45.4 
32.5 
0.077 
29.700 
41.3 
39.2 
42.9 
47.4 
37.3 
62.9 
32A 
0.917 
REMARKS. 
14th.—Dull morning; wet afternoon and evening. 
15 th.—Heavy rain early ; fair day. 
16th.—Fair bright winter’s day. 
17th.—Rain early ; fine bright day; cold night. 
18th.—Wet morning, then alternate rain and clear sky; lightning at night. 
19th;—Fine and bright. 
20th.—Wet morning ; rest of day fine. 
Another wet week, with a very rapid fall of the barometer on the last day. Tempera¬ 
ture lower than in the previous week but still above the average.—G. J, Stmons. 
