75 
4558 THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
J. B. LEARNED, M. D. 
Objections to swine products due to swine 
diseases ; tnese are mainly due to improper 
feeding and filthy surroundings; a con¬ 
firmatory experiment; pigs stuffed with 
com die , while those running in the woods 
remain healthy; raising pigs on cholera- 
infected ground; a compost with dead 
cholera hogs; an unfounded scare; breeds 
in use; care and feed given; baths; clean¬ 
liness; ventilation of pig-styes; ringing ob¬ 
jectionable; feeding for growth and fat; 
hog cholera the punishment for neglect of 
hygienic conditions; “cholera lard"; our 
degenerate breeds capable of restoration 
lo their original healthy condition; prime 
pork products sure of prime prices. 
Corned beef had been served with our 
baked beans for many months before I came 
to the conclusion that a pig properly cared 
for would produce just the kind of meat that 
was most needed here. The nice, crisp, pig 
pork of my early days had not been forgotten, 
but filth and disease had of late been so much 
associated with pork in all forms, that I had 
sickened of it. Swine journals talked of 
cholera; the daily papers recited cholera, and 
every body, but the meat-men, seemed to 
have touches of it when pork was talked. 
One-half of my herd of shoats, that had been 
counted on as safe, died within two or three 
weeks in the fall of 1884, and I, with the ma¬ 
jority of particular folks, had about come 
to the conclusion that beef must take the 
place of pork, even with beans, in future. 
But I had the winter in which to consider this, 
and finally I decided to try another and more 
rigid hygienic plan of feeding and general 
care. 1 bad divided my pigs into two sec¬ 
tions—one to be fed for pork and the other for 
stores. The first received the usual unlimited 
rations of corn, corn-meal and wheat stuff. 
It lay by them in some form all the time—soft 
corn on the ear, etc., being scattered over the 
ground. The stores ran in the chestnut 
woods close by, and were fed sparingly. 
They did not sicken. In a very brief time the 
“ pork ” pigs were all buried, and the stores 
were all in good health and growing. Both 
were in the open air, and on dry ground. I 
was forced to the belief that diet had some¬ 
thing to do in this case, as it had in many 
others where I had seen families of children 
prostrated as a whole with some disease, 
while others equally exposed escaped. It 
should be said that cholera was near by at a 
neighboring pen, at this time. 
To make the test more emphatic, I deter¬ 
mined to put the first sow to farrow on these 
same grounds, where, during the fall, the dead 
ones were taken off. It was April; no changes 
had been made in the way of burying or burn¬ 
ing the bedding, etc. Charcoal was sprinkled 
over the ground, and some lime. Nine new pigs 
were dropped. The mother had been well 
treated during the winter, and she furnished 
the needed nourishment at once. The so w and 
pigs remained here, under the same roof and 
upon the same bedding, plus more as it was 
needed from time to time; but no cholera 
came. The earth was the foundation. There 
was do flooring. The roof was a lean-to, and 
a board fence the side. I had selected this 
particular place and these surroundings for 
a test ground because writers generally say 
that the germ remains, and is sure to get an 
abiding-place in sound animals that are kept 
on the piece, unless fire or deep burial is 
brought to the rescue. In this immediate 
vicinity, several hundred pigs have since been 
bred and matured; but there has been no 
cholera. During the next spring the heap of 
compost—earth and dead cholera stock—was 
opened, handled, aired and finally spread on 
the surface as a fertilizer. Neither odors nor 
cholera germs were wanting, and pigs were 
not wanting to inhale them. My neighbors 
were more alarmed at this last exposure than 
they had been at the first. But 1 was trying 
this new generation,which I thought in vigor¬ 
ous condition, as an experiment, in an atmos¬ 
phere of contagion, where the graves had 
given up their dead. The workman almost 
trembled for his own safety, and called for 
full rations of whisky as an antiseptic. He 
survived; so did the neighbors, and likewise 
the pigs. 
Upon these grounds, not then more than 
25 rods removed from the nucleus of the 
poison, several sows farrowed and reared all 
their young. The present season 40 sows 
with their pigs have gone on with safety. 
The grounds in use at any time have not ex¬ 
ceeded 15 acres and have generally been much 
!«*•*. Sometimes a pig gets lame and occa¬ 
sionally one dies, but there has been no evi¬ 
dence of contagion. We are now slaughter 
ing April pigs weighing 275 to 330 pounds. 
The sows are grade Chester-Whites; the boars, 
Cheshires and Poland-Chinas full blood. The 
pens are about one-third of an acre in size. 
We put 20 in a place and they sleep and feed 
together Elevated platforms of plank on 
sleepers hold the feeding troughs. The pigs 
feed from both sides. Neither mud nor filth 
abounds on these floors, and very little finds 
its way into their food. An inch-and-a-half 
main water pipe connects with the city sup¬ 
ply, and gives off, at every dividing fence, a 
fresh stream which pours into bathing-tubs 
made of plank. In the warm season, these 
are every day resorted to, and frequently 
are full of pigs and water. The pigs get 
their drink sometimes from the falling stream. 
With a fair chance, they are vastly more 
cleanly than they get credit for being. Give 
them clean beds and a bath-tub and see. A 
running brook would be preferable, but water 
pipes serve well. The bath-tub is located 
over pits filled with cobbles, so that the 
surface is dry in dry weather. It isn’t so this 
season, however. 
The bedding in summer is dry earth or 
sand; in winter the same, plus sawdust, leaves 
or hay. The opening on the south is never 
closed; and the pigs never seem to suffer from 
cold. The roofs are water-tight, but not air¬ 
tight, hence there is always fresh air as well 
as clean bedding. The dung is in the open air, 
and is covered by rooting and plowing. 
Clover and rye are thrown over the surface 
in the spring. In the early part of Jthe season a 
fair growth is kept up, cut clover is carried 
daily from the adjoining fields. Small pota_ 
toes are purchased in the fall at 15 cents per 
bushel on the grounds. These are boiled in 
salt water, after they have been washed, and 
fed with the grain. Cabbage comes later, 
and continues some weeks into the winter. It 
costs $4 per ton, on the ground, loose heads, 
stumps and all. 
The regular rations are two per day, morn¬ 
ing and night, consisting of bran, middlings, 
rye or oats, one or all, during the growing 
season; with butter-milk, which is brought 
nearly every day through the year, a distance 
of 10 miles. The carrying tank holds a little 
less than 450 gallons; and the milk costs here 
one cent and four mills per gallon. During 
the fattening season corn-meal is the leading 
grain, with the milk; seldom whole corn. No 
swill is ever brought to the grounds. Steam 
from the boiler at the meat-room serves to cook 
the winter rations. The feeding places are 
the same at all seasons, and are at a consider¬ 
able distance from the sleeping quarters. Thus 
some exercise is made necessary summer and 
winter. Charcoal is made on the grounds or 
brought here. It is consumed sometimes with 
eagerness. The trimmings of trees from the 
grove close by are in winter rather palatable. 
When the ground is open the pig goes deep in 
search of what he wants if he has no ring in 
his nose, and generally finds it? but in winter 
the supply obtainable in this hay is cut off, 
and should be furnished. A ring in the pig’s 
nose is no advantage to his health. All grain 
is too concentrated a food. The growing 
must be first attended to; then food must be 
supplied for fat making. I do not consider 
the pig an exception to the general rule in 
growing an animal body. Nature’s methods 
must be regarded, else, sooner or later, a bill 
for damages is sure to be presented. Hog 
cholera is the form in which it comes here, 
and the amount of money lost in this country 
every year on this account is immense. The 
amount of “ cholera lard ” too in the market 
is quite out of proportion with the tastes of 
fastidious people. I think it is possible to so 
improve this degenerate sample we now have, 
in the matter of constitutional vigor, as to re¬ 
store him to his normal condition. But 
to use him as a scavenger, as a machine for 
manure making, and at last as an accumula¬ 
tor of fat from filth, is not the way to do it. 
Hygiene is needed with the pig as much as 
with the baby. Both are often sacrificed by 
its absence. 
But this mode of treating the pigs is expen¬ 
sive. The market rates will not make re¬ 
turns; even Strawberry Hill rates, which are 
almost 100 per cent, in advance of those rul¬ 
ing elsewhere,'do not invite extensive invest¬ 
ments with an unknown market. I have 
found my nearest neighbors my first patrons. 
From this beginning I now receive and fill 
orders for families in several States to a small 
extent. My mode of putting up sausage-meat 
in clean cloth, with a waxed paper covering, 
is more attractive to many than the use of an 
intestinal tube of a pig, that reminds one of 
filth and often of disease. The pure, clean 
lard from a pig not contaminated with dis¬ 
ease, and which is itself clear of adulterants, is 
also prized by families who want the best. 
The railroad express trains make it possible to 
order one’s^ausage and lard, in cold weather, 
from a distant market, and while butter of 
one brand commands $1. per pound on account 
of its special flavor, pork products from 
clean, sound animals, as against products of 
doubtful origin, should find a market at pay¬ 
ing rates. Probably there is "no article of 
food at the present time boycotted by so many 
families as that coming from the pig. And 
there is no article from the animal so attract¬ 
ive and toothsome to these families as the 
sparerib and sausage, when not associated 
with filth or disease. 
The improved breeds in form and outline 
are certainly a great advance upon the razor- 
back, but their constitution has degenerated. 
Reformation is demanded here. Breeding 
helps, but a higher standard of health and 
more wholesome surroundings are most need¬ 
ed. Pure water, fresh air and suitable foods 
are as indispensable to the pig as to any 
other domestic animal. 
Hampshire Co., Mass. 
{XXxuzilawms. 
folks dretfully, who knew what she had done 
fur him. But my reasonin’ powers are such 
that I said to myself that he had some cause 
to do it, for from the beginnin’ of their mar¬ 
ried life she had jest put herself down at his 
feet, and if he looked at her at all he had to 
look down. He couldn’t see her by lookin’ 
up or sideways, fur she wuzen’t there. He 
had to look down, and then he found her. 
But he had no need to have looked so fur 
down; that I gin up.’* 
There, there is a lot of solid sense in that, 
too. When we assert that a wife has a right 
to stand on the same level as her husband, we 
don’t mean that she should assume his pre¬ 
rogatives; she has her own exclusive duties, 
but they should be recognized as being equal 
in value to the duties of the husband. A 
woman loses all her charms when she tries to 
be masculine; but letjevery one bear in mind 
that womanliness does not mean weakness. 
Each-’to the duties of the sex, whether man 
or woman; but remember that, after all, the 
partnership is equal. 
CORRESPONDENTS’ VIEWS. 
NEW YEAR’S PLANS AT HOME. 
am glad the Rural favors rye. It is the 
best of chop feed for this part of the country. 
I find millet excellent feed, but it won’t sprout 
unless the ground is damp. I feed potatoes 
and shorts mixed to my milch cows, and they 
do well on the mixture and I don’t think the 
potatoes taint the milk. As shanty foreman, 
I found that horses that were fed half a pail 
of potatoes once a week, were better able to 
stand the work and strong feed than those 
that got none. R. o. 
Kinmount, Canada. 
So far I have hesitated to enter my name 
for the Potato Contest, but I have come to the 
conclusion that there is no good reason why I 
should not. I am over 60 years of age, and 
since I have lived in the country, and taken 
the R. N.-Y.—five years now—I have always 
raised all the vegetables for my family, and 
done all the work, too, except the first plow¬ 
ing. So why should I not enter the P. C. ? 
I knew nothing of gardening until I took the 
R. N.-Y., but I have learned a great deal 
since. mrs. c. h. w. 
De Soto, Mo. 
In plowing a seven-acre field of clover 
sod last fall, I saw but one mouse while the 
garter snakes were numerous, so it occurred to 
me that the snakes had destroyed the mice. 
If so, why should we kill these harmless rep¬ 
tiles? JOHN WARREN. 
Ohio. 
R. N.-Y. It seems quite evident that some 
varieties of snakes are not only harmless but 
beneficial to agriculture. 
Womans XVorK. 
CONDUCTED BY EMILY LOUISE TAPUN. 
CHAT BY THE WAY. 
T HANK you, Mr. T. B. Terry. That hon¬ 
est opinion of an honest man in the 
Rural of January 19, just does us good. Very 
few men seem to understand how it hurts a 
woman when the money she has helped to 
earn is doled out to her as to a beggar ; very 
few women are so lacking in sensitive pride 
that they do not feel it. Perhaps we would 
be happier if we did not feel this; but most of 
us would rather wear a shabby gown than 
beg humbly for the money to buy a new one. 
A wife who does her duty has as much right 
to the family money as her husband 'has. 
“ No true woman will 4 ever abuse such a 
partnership , and there are more true women 
in this world than there are true men." So 
says Mr. Terry, a tribute we may be grateful 
for while recognizing its perfect truth. And 
we believe that many husbands, who now act 
as if afraid to trust'their wives w ith an extra 
dollar, world act differently if the wives had 
quietly taken the right stand from^the begin¬ 
ning. Have you read, a recent story by 
“Josiah Allen’s Wife,” entitled “ Luman 
Skinkle’s Religion ?” 
It is a story with the very moral Mr. 
Terry teaches. It tells of a poor, overworked 
wife of a farmer, who had slaved all„her life, 
making herself completely the servant of her 
husband, instead of being his companion and 
fellow-worker. To quote Josiah^Allen’s Wife: 
“ Wall, as was nateral to one of his turn, as 
Luman grew fat and strong and rich, he 
began to act high-headed and haughty-like, 
and began to sort o’ look'down on Phila.’act 
sort o’ short and cross to her, and it madded 
T HE family of Mr. Gleason were all at 
home to keep the New Year. Supper 
was over, and the work in the kitchen was 
done. The boys had done the chores at the 
barn, and now the hanging lamp was lighted 
and the father, mother, three boys and two 
girls were seated in the pleasant sitting-room. 
In the early morning the circle would be 
broken, for James was a school-teacher, and 
Edna was a student in Westmere seminary. 
Probably they would not meet again till the 
March winds and sun began to melt away the 
huge snow drifts that were heaped up, and 
sugaring would require their labors till the 
snow was gone. 
“Well, children,” said Mr. Gleason, as he 
looked around the group. “ The New Year 
has come, and I trust will be more prosperous 
than the last has been. It has been a disas¬ 
trous year to us, in every respect.” 
“Yes, father.” said Elmer, the eldest son. 
i‘ It did seem as if everything went against us 
all the year. I got quite discouraged ever so 
many times. No matter what we tried to do, 
it was just a dead failure every time.” 
“It was too bad the way things went. 
When poor old Doll died, I just cried, I could 
not help it,” said another. 
“ I always thought that she had too much 
mea . Wbat ailed her ? She was a splendid 
horse, so gentle and smart,” asked Edna. 
“Well, it is no use to cry over her now,’ 
said Mr. Gleason. 
“ I am going to take some agricultural 
papers this year,” said Elmer, “ I have sub¬ 
scribed for the Rural New-Yorker, and the 
Agriculturist, so as to get the experience of 
wiser heads than ours.” 
“You had a right to take them, but we 
have to keep our money, for we shall be com¬ 
pelled to stint this spring, to get seed enough 
to sow, and we shall also have to buy all the 
corn and potatoes for planting. I declare I 
don’t see how we shall make the ends meet. ” 
“ I know, father, that we shall have to be 
economical; but I have been reading a good 
deal this winter. They have lots of books 
and papers at my boarding place, and they 
are good farmers, and made good crops last 
year, and if there is a better way than ours, I 
want to know it.” 
“ Father does not believe iu book farming,’ 
said Edna laughing. “You know the story he 
tells about Horace Greeley.” 
“We have followed the old way with a 
vengeance, and it has been a baa way for us.’ 1 
Elmer replied. 
“ I saw a piece in a farmers’ paper about 
onions, when I was over to Mr. Moore’s the 
other day,” said Hettie, “ and I want a piece 
of ground for myself, to see if I cannot do 
something. Ellen Moore had a bed of onions 
last year, and she sold enough to amount to 
$30, besides keeping enough for the family to 
use.” 
“ The maggots will eat yours all up, if you 
try,” said the mother.” 
“ They did not eat hers, and she said she 
would tell me all how she did, if father would 
let me have the land.” 
“There is land enough, but you must do the 
work and must not be calling the boys to help 
you.” said her father. 
“The Rural has offered prizes for a potato 
contest. Edna you had better try for one,” 
said Elmer. 
“I would like to ever so much, but you boys 
will have to plow the land for me.” 
“I am not sure that that is in the bargain. I 
will see; but you will have to buy your own 
potatoes to plant, sis.” 
“I shall speak for the laud next to the hog- 
yard for my onions. Ellen said that would 
be a splendid place for them, the ground is so 
rich,” said Hettie. —* _ ' , 
