1848. 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
113 
I>i§em,ses of Animals, <: &c. 
l>oinestic Economy, Mecipes, &c. 
Disease in Swine. 
I wish to inquire through the Cultivator, in regard 
to a disease in swine from which I have suffered loss. 
In September last, I noticed that one of a litter of ten 
pigs, which had been farrowed in March, (and which 
were of good size—would weigh from 150 to 200 lbs. 
each,) was attacked with what is called the thumps or 
heaves. In about 24 hours it died. In a few days 
another was attacked, and soon died, and they thus 
went off, one by one, till I lost nine out of the ten. I 
Icept for my store hogs about a dozen pigs that came 
in September,- and they are going in the same way. 
They die at the rate of about one a week. They never 
live more than 24 hours after I discover the first symp¬ 
toms of the disease. As soon as one appears to be 
affected, I take it away from the rest. I have given 
sulphur and everything I could hear of that would be 
likely to help them, but all to no purpose. Peter S. 
Hicks, near Wilmington , Delaware. 
The disease in swine called u thumps,” we have no 
knowledge of, though we may have met with it under 
some other name. In the 8th volume of the Cultiva¬ 
tor, page 32, it is stated that Dr. Shelby, of Tennessee, 
had used calomel for this disease with some success; 
but the quantity given, or the manner of administering 
it, is no.t given- We invite the suggestions of*those 
who have any knowledge of the disease and its cure. 
Hoof-aiS, or 44 Foul in the Foot.’ 9 
This is a disease which affects the feet of cattle in 
a similar manner to what the feet of sheep are affected 
by the 11 foot-rot.” Some have supposed that the 
diseases are in fact identical,- but attempts have 
been made to innoculate cattle with the virus from 
sheep having the foot-rot, which failed,- and this has led 
to the conclusion that the two diseases are co*nfined to 
the species of animal in whieh they appear. 
Hoof-ail, like foot-rot, though it may originate spon¬ 
taneously, or from accident, is, when once induced, be¬ 
lieved to be contagious, and hence, when an animal is 
discovered to be affected, it should be kept by itself till 
the danger of communicating the disease is passed. 
The first indication of hoof-ajl, is a soreness and 
lameness in whichever foot is attacked. If no remedy 
is applied, the disease progresses rapidly—there is more 
or less swelling immediately above the hoof and about 
the pastern joint, accompanied frequently by great 
heat and high inflammation. The hoof soon separates 
from the skin on the inside, between the claws, and 
in aggravated cases the hoof sometimes cleaves off. 
The disease appears to occasion the animal great pain 
through its whole course. 
The first thing to be done towards cure, should be 
to cleanse the foot thoroughly by washing in strong 
soap-suds, or a lye of wood-ashes. Examine the in¬ 
side of the claws, and if there is any appearance of 
pent-up matter, pare away the hoof so as to admit a 
free discharge. Apply a solution of blue vitrol where- 
ever the disease is manifested, and this wash may be 
repeated with advantage once or twice a day, till the 
disease is evidently subdued. A pledget of tow, satu¬ 
rated with tar, and bound in between the claws, has 
been found useful in healing the foot after the other 
applications have been used. 
Youatt recommends bleeding in the coronet, (the 
junction of the hoof with the skin,) where there is 
much spelling and inflammation. The animal should be 
kept in a dry place j a comfortable stall or shed is the 
h&st situation. 
Preserving Meat Fresh. 
It may be of some benefit to a portion of your pat¬ 
rons to know how a few citizens in this section have 
managed, this warm changeable winter, to preserve 
their beef, pork, poultry, and other fresh meat, for some 
time in good condition. 
One successful method has been practiced by plac¬ 
ing one cask within another, packing straw between 
the two, on the bottom and around the sides. The 
meat was frozen, and packed in straw -within the 
inner cask, secured well at the top from air during the 
warm weather. 
Col. Smith, of Bristol, slaughtered a large number 
of fat weathers, which he designed to market in the 
carcass; but the warm spell of weather in the month 
of November, which was so destructive to fresh meat 
in this region, caused him to boil them up for their tal¬ 
low only. The next cold turn, he dressed off about 
300 of poultry—a sudden change soon after was threat- 
ning them with a sweat; but having at hand an abun¬ 
dance of fresh sheep’s pelts, he concluded, by way of 
experiment, to try their virtues upon his fowls, and ac¬ 
cordingly spread a layer upon a floor 5 or 6 deep; then 
after stacking his poultry upon them, covered them well 
over with the same in so nice a manner as to keep out 
the warm air through several severe thaws, before he 
was blessed with snow enough to sleigh them into a 
northern market, where they in due time arrived in 
good condition. Had he known previous this method 
of saving his meat fresh, it would have told him dollars, 
by thus keeping his fat mutton. S. W. Jewett. 
Fine Pickled Cabbage. —An exchange paper gives 
the following directions for making this excellent and 
wholesome relish:—-Shred red and white cabbage, spread 
it in layers in a stone jar, with salt over each layer. 
Put two spoonsful of whole black pepper, and the same 
quantity of allspice, cloves and cinnamon, in a bag, and 
scald them in two quarts of vinegar, and pour the vin¬ 
egar over the cabbage, and cover it tight. Use it two 
days after. 
Pumpkin Butter. —Boil a barrel of sweet cider 
down one-third, then add gradually two bushels of 
small cut pieces of pumpkins, stirring all the while, 
until boiled to about 12 gallons. Just before taking off, 
add half a pint of ground cinnamon, and such other 
spices as may be agreeable. Fine, where apples are 
scarce, and said to be excellent for king or countryman, 
the latter deserving it best. 
Sweet Apple Pudding. —Superb, cheapest, and 
best, proved by repeated trial: 1 pint scalded milk, | 
pint Indian meal, teaspoon of salt, an equal bulk or 
more of sweet apples cut small—baked at least three 
hours. 
Preserving Apples. —“ Lock them up in a dry cel 
lar, and hide the key,” says-a cotemporary. 
To toast Cheese. Very fine. Slice it into a 
saucepan, with a little batter and cream. Simmer 
very gently till quite dissolved. Remove it from the 
Are, let it cool a little, add some yolk of egg, well 
beaten ; make it into cakes, brown it before the fire, 
and eat warm. 
Preserving Hams. —A canvass cover for each ham, 
well whitewashed, is an infallible protection of hams 
against flies. They may also be well kept in dry saw¬ 
dust. 
Whitewash for Fences.—- One ounce white vitrol, 
(sulphate of zinc) 3 ounces of common salt, to every 
3 or 4 lbs. of good fresh lime, it is said, render it very 
durable, exposed to the weather. 
