Chinese Swine

1895

The American swine of today are very different from their English ancestors, who a few centuries ago constituted one of the chief sources of British wealth. The improvement in the race is largely due to the introduction of the Chinese and Neapolitan breeds. The crossing of the former upon the English hog has resulted in the production of the Berkshire, Essex, Poland-China, Small Yorkshire and Suffolk breeds.

The Chinese hog is remarkably prepotent, as is shown by the tendency of the modern breeds to revert to the original type. This is doubtless owing to the many centuries of inbreeding which have so firmly fixed its characteristics. One of the most important of these is its propensity to fatten under the most adverse circumstances. This superabundance of fat prevents the flesh of this breed being highly esteemed in this country, but it has had a most valuable effect in modifying the lean, gaunt hogs of England, while the Neapolitan has added delicacy of flavor.

The original Chinese hog is a very peculiar shape. It has a long body, with short legs, very heavy jowls, small prick ears, short head, neck and snout and the eyes wide apart. In color it is white or black, or a mixture of both, with the white predominating. — St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Goat Starts Farmer In Fight With Pigs

1920

Butts Man Into Pen and Porkers Resent His Intrusion.

MONTGOMERYVILLE, Pa. — While gazing with pride at his pen of fast fattening hogs and dreaming fond dreams of juicy hams during the coming winter season, Gustav Stoney, who lives near here, was awakened from his reverie when a goat butted him over the rail of the pigpen among the pigs.

The porkers crawled all over him, and Stoney and the pigs gave vent to a medley of grunts, squeals and yells.

Finally, when the pigpen calisthenics were at their height, Stoney's son came to his father's rescue. He chased away the pigs, and Stoney, the elder, emerged. His clothing was torn and he was cut and bruised.

—The Saturday Blade, Chicago, Aug. 7, 1920, p. 3.

The Florida Razorback

1901

The Florida "razorback" is the hog indigenous to this climate and soil. He is usually large of limb and fleet of foot, being the only known porker that can outrun a darky. He has a tail of wondrous length, which, while he is in active motion, he twists into the tightest corkscrew, but with which while quietly feeding he raps his leathery sides much in the same manner that the docile cow uses her tail.

He is self supporting. He earns his own living and thrives equally well in the highwoods, in the flatwoods, in the hummocks and in the marshes. He subsists upon anything he can find above the earth or underneath its surface. He has a clear, farseeing eye and is very sensitive of hearing. Nature has equipped him with a snout almost as long as the beak of the wild pelican of Borneo, with which he can penetrate the earth many inches in quest of worms, snakes and insects.

He is the most intelligent of all the hogs and is likewise the most courageous. He has been known to engage in mortal combat with a coon for the possession of a watermelon and to rend asunder a barbed wire fence. — Forest and Stream.

The Profitable Sausage

1902

For the amount of meat used the sausage is the most profitable legacy of the hog. Fully fifty different kinds of this suspected article are manufactured to suit the taste of many peoples; for Italians, with a dominating measure of garlic; for Germans, hard and fatty; for Frenchmen, dry and well larded; for Americans, well spiced; and all of these several grades.

Whatever meat cannot be used otherwise is consigned to the sausage, although for no other reason than that every diminutive piece is available — ham, head and foot trimmings, and the old remnants from the butcher's block. Potato, flour, spices, and water are mixed with the meat, which has been, finely chopped by rocking-knives, and a steam-driven piston forces the mass into the casings, whereupon it becomes sausage. The casings are the intestines of the hog thoroughly scraped and washed by mechanical process.

The pig's snout does not escape — that would be a gross oversight — so it is trimmed off and sold as a pickling "delicacy" to new Americans with unpronounceable names. — The Century.

Hog Fasts 100 Days

Alabama, 1912

Mobile, Alabama — Pinned under the ruins of a church near Evergreen, Ala., which had blown down on February 21st, a hog was found yesterday alive, and, while weakened from the long imprisonment, was able to eat and drink. The animal was more than 100 days without food and water, perhaps a record for fasts.

—The Syracuse Herald, Syracuse, NY, June 10, 1912, p. 16.

Drifted Together; Hogs Freeze Fast

1909

Sad Plight of Porkers Near Lake City During Blizzard.

LAKE CITY, Feb. 20. — Fred Fry, who lives north of town, relates a mighty interesting incident which occurred on his farm the night of the big storm.

The following day, Mr. Fry heard some hogs squealing and he went out to investigate. The sounds seemed to come from a snow drift and he went over to the drift and, lo and behold a couple of hogs emerged from that drift. The astonishing part was the fact that they had lived through the night in that drift, but that was not the most astonishing part. When those hogs came from that drift they were frozen together, frozen so hard that when they were separated the hide came off and the hogs bled profusely.

It certainly was a peculiar experience.

—Des Moines News, Des Moines, IA, Feb. 21, 1909, p. 3.

Hogs Under Military Drill

1896

Major Carpenter, a veteran who conducts a farm near Stockbridge, Mich., gave an exhibition yesterday which proves that ordinary hogs may be educated to a high degree. The Major has introduced military discipline among his porkers to such an extent that they go through the evolutions with almost human precision.

The exhibition yesterday was given by Major Carpenter for the benefit of a few former army comrades, who pronounced it wonderful. Eight of the animals formed in line at the Major's command, and stood like so many statues. In front of them, about two rods, was a trough into which a farm hand then dumped five or six pails of mixed feed. The hogs took great interest in the operation, and their little eyes twinkled in anticipation, but not a hog of them stirred until the Major cried out: "Forward! March!" When they were three feet from the trough he commanded "Halt!" and all stood still, though it was evident they were laboring under great excitement. Finally he shouted "Charge!" and eight porcine noses went into the trough at the same instant.

When the meal was over the animals re-formed in line, marched solemnly to their pen and were disbanded by a wave of the Major's hand. —St. Louis Globe-Democrat.

Eating Parrots, Albatross, Weeds, Acorns

1896

Food Can Be Almost Anything

Few of us, or, indeed, of any people, would think of eating parrots, especially if anything else could be gotten, yet the Romans esteemed them for the table, the Boston Traveller writes.

Cranes are sometimes used for food.

The American ostrich, of South America, is eaten, both flesh and eggs. The eggs of the African ostrich are used, and the flesh, when the bird is young.

The albatross, largest and strongest of birds, produces eggs that are edible.

There is a weed in this country, much cursed by all who have to do with the soil and its products, called a vulgar phrase "pussly." No one in this country would think of eating it, yet this foe of farmers and gardeners is used as a salad in Europe and Egypt.

Acorns in this country are put to no use, unless it be for swine; but in Saxon times "mast" was valued not only for herds, but for man. In times of dearth acorns were boiled and eaten by the poor in England and in France, as one species is still in Southern Europe.

Whales are no longer eaten by civilized men, but in the thirteenth century their tongues were held in great esteem in parts of Europe. Whales are now, with seals and walruses, the chief food of many inhabitants of the Arctic regions. Of the narwhal the Greenlanders eat flesh, fat and skin.

Isinglass is a strange food; it is a gelatin prepared from the air bladders of different kinds of fish from large rivers that flow into the North and Caspian Seas.

Farm, Orchard, and Garden - 1903

March 8, 1903

By J.S. Trigg, Rockford, Iowa

Rice feeds ten persons, taking the world at large, where wheat feeds one.

The losses by reason of hog cholera last year in the state of Indiana are placed at near $6,000,000.

The American farmer is getting the daily paper habit as a result of rural delivery, and it is a good thing for him.

Steam transports having a capacity of 900,000 bushels of wheat each will soon be plying between the Pacific coast and Japan.

The modern harvesting machines are now in use by twenty-nine different nations of the earth and represent in their ability to harvest the crops of the world the labor of 20,000,000 men.

We do not know that the time will ever come when the lion shall eat straw like the ox, but the time has come when the hog will eat hay — alfalfa hay — like an old cow. It is a staple winter ration for Kansas hogs.

An export dealer in butter stated recently that he would rather handle butter which scored 92 and which would remain at that scoring until disposed of than to handle an extra grade at 93 and have it drop to 92 before it could be sold.

A second cutting of timber land — oak, hickory, maple and basswood — of twenty-eight years' growth yields about eighteen cords to the acre, worth net to the owner about $72. This fact explains why forestry is not profitable in a commercial sense.

A farmers' mutual insurance company of a county in a Western state paid $2,375 on thirty-nine losses during the year. Of this amount $2,284.84 was for losses caused by lightning, stock killed, while only $129.75 was paid out for fire losses. This goes to show that lightning in these days of barbed wire fences is a very destructive agent.

The stockmen of the West are bitterly opposed to the proposed packing house trust, believing such a combination will have the cattlemen completely at its mercy in the matter of fixing prices. This opposition is so marked and emphatic that with its threats to establish packing houses of its own it may defeat the proposed packing house merger.

Years ago when black walnut was plentiful and cheap it was used largely for the construction of the wooden bridges by the pioneers because of the ease with which it could be worked and its well-known durability. Such a bridge built fifty years ago in the state of Indiana, 150 feet long, contains timber valued at present at $15,000, which would more than twice pay for a steel bridge to take its place.

We are asked whether the production of cucumbers for pickles is a profitable business, what the yield is and what the profits. In such cases as we have known the crop will yield a gross return of from $40 to $70 per acre. There are two difficulties in the way of this crop — one to protect the vines from insect pests, the other to secure necessary help to gather the crop, which has to be done every two or three days during the season.

If one starts out as a breeder of registered cattle of any breed, he must produce animals of such a grade of excellence that his yearling males will bring him at least $100 each. If he cannot do this, he had better confine his efforts to the production of beef or milk and let others breed for the market. Not every man is cut out for a breeder. There must be individual excellence as well as pedigree, and some men cannot combine these qualities.

A large purchase of Belgian hares by an Eastern canning factory was logically followed by a large shipment of choice selected boned turkey from the cannery soon after. After all, it's what you think you are eating rather than what you really eat, evidenced by the serving of fried cat for squirrel as a joke at a party, the participants at the feast pleased and satisfied, only to undergo a serious digestive disturbance later when informed of what they had really eaten.

With the exception of the peach, orange, grape, nectarine and apricot, it may be said that nearly all our other fruits thrive best where there are the least extremes of temperature, where neither excessive heat, cold, moisture nor aridity prevails. The climatic conditions which prevail in Nova Scotia, lower Canada, northern New York, northern Michigan, Washington and Oregon, whore it would be difficult to mature a crop of corn, furnish the apple its very best conditions, also the pear, cherry and all the small fruits.

Man's Theory: Kill the Pig Before It Squeals

1906

To Make Perfect Pork

Method of Slaughtering Which Insures Wholesome Meat

A Kansas City man has discovered a novel method of preparing pork for the market in a way that will give to the people a meat which is perfectly wholesome. The theory is advanced that when a pig is sent to slaughter every squeal emitted in the process of slaughter is an audible announcement of a nervous reaction that affects every fiber of its body, producing such changes as will he detrimental to any one partaking of the flesh. The plan proposed is to drive the porker up an incline into a small pen. Just as he steps in the pen the platform tilts and runs him down a chute. At the end of this chute there is a bucket of slop or mash, or any other pig delicacy. The animal pokes his snout into the bucket when his whole head is caught in a trap and nitrous oxide renders him unconscious before he has time to let out even a little squeal. While the pig is in this state it is slaughtered, There is no excitement, no squeal and consequently no thermic changes.

—Denton Journal, Denton, Maryland, January 6, 1906, page 4.

Hooray, Butcherin' Hez Cum! (poetry)

1912

HOORAY, BUTCHERIN' HEZ CUM!

Murder, hear them hogs a-squealin'!
Butcherin' at last hez cum.
Oh, jist watch the folks a-hustlin'
An' the sassage grinder hum!

There the hog goes in the scald trough.
Off his bristles quickly fly.
Now they're cuttin' him to pieces
As he hangs on stretcher high.

Zip -- the sassage grinder's goin',
Hiss -- the lard's a-billin' too.
Puddin's cookin' in the kittle,
Oh, smell that hog liver stew!

Let's go run the sassage stuffer.
O you sassage ten foot long,
Slick as grease an', oh, so bully,
Spiced with garlic middlin' strong!

See the purty hams an' bacon
An' the lard as white as snow --
But, hello, they're callin' dinner!
Hurry up: we've got to go!

Fur they're havin' sassage, puddin',
Ponhos, pig tongue an pig feet,
An' the folks at the fust table
Allus git the most to eat.

C. M. BARNITZ.

—Bedford Gazette, Bedford, Pennsylvania, January 12, 1912, page 6.

Battle in a Pig Pen

1901

Minnesota Farmer is Savagely Attacked by Hogs Which He Goes to Feed

Winona, Minn., Dec. 28.—Eugene D. Logan of Ridgeway lies in the hospital in this city suffering from serious injuries received from vicious hogs. He had a fierce conflict, and only for the fight he put up for his life he would have been torn to shreds.

Mr. Logan went out to care for his stock as usual. In order to properly feed the hogs it was necessary for him to enter the pen and distribute the feed in troughs. He had no sooner entered the pen than the animals attacked him with great ferocity. He tried to fight them off, but could not do so, and it was only with the greatest effort that he was able to keep his feet.

The maddened animals bit and tore at his knees and limbs, and when he reached the fence surrounding the pen he was bleeding from many wounds. He had just strength enough to drag himself over the fence where he fell exhausted, and where he was found a short time afterward by some of the members of his family. He was brought to this city for treatment. An examination showed that his limbs were frightfully torn and lacerated. One kneecap was almost torn from its place. His wounds were properly dressed and he is now resting comfortably in the hospital. His injuries are such that only time will effect a complete cure.

—Davenport Daily Republican, Davenport, Iowa, December 29, 1901, page 2.

Death and Sadness in the News

Iowa, 1898

STATE NEWS

John Burk was instantly killed in a horse race at Winthrop, Iowa.

Mrs. Mary Christensen of Council Bluffs has gone insane through worry.

Charles Andrews, aged 20, was drowned while bathing in the Coon River at Farnhamville.

It is supposed that the four weeks' old child of J. W. Warford of Des Moines came to its death by reason of a wound inflicted by a pin near its ear.

John Gibbins, a switchman at Ottumwa, was struck by an engine in the yards at that city and injured so severely that he died within a short time.

While the little daughter of Mr. Gullander, living near Denison, was leaning over a fence of a hog lot, the animals caught her by the dress and pulled her over. She was twice severely bitten before being rescued.

Horse, the 7-year-old son of James Maualtt of Brooklyn, was playing with a number of companions, the game being practice in throwing the lasso. The rope was thrown over his head and tightened with a quick jerk, throwing the little fellow to the ground, breaking the collar bone and rupturing a blood vessel in the head. The little fellow died in about three hours.

--Cedar Rapids Evening Gazette, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, September 6, 1898, page 7.

Boy Dies of Antrax; Woman Cutting Third Set of Teeth

1922

Illinois News Happenings

Harold Challacombe, six years old, is dead at Alton of anthrax. It is not known how the child contracted the disease.

A badger, the first found in years, was captured on a farm near Sterling. The animal weighed more than seventy-five pounds.

With the completion of the transferring of 343 square inches of skin from sixty-four persons to the body of Helen Hoage, sixteen-year-old explosion victim, Belvidere physicians declare that the most extensive skin grafting operation ever attempted in northern Illinois is a success.

Mrs. S. P. Leith, aged seventy, of Farina, is cutting her third set of teeth. A few days ago she had her teeth extracted, expecting to replace them with false ones. Soon after her gums healed she noticed they were swelling and a few days later she announced that some of her third set of teeth were breaking through her gums.

Every living thing in the Salt Fork river from Sidney east to Homer Park and for an equal distance west of Sidney has been killed by acid carried into the river from the Boneyard ranch in Champaign and Urbana, according to a statement made by C. E. Huff, state inspector of the department of agriculture, of which the game and fish division is a part.

Sudden deaths and misfortunes have beset the Van Duse family of St. Charles. Mrs. Leo Van Hove fell dead in her husband's arms a few days ago. Before the inquest her brother, Peter Van Duse, went in a taxicab to take another brother, Alphonse, to the proceedings. The taxicab turned over several miles from St. Charles. Peter was killed. Alphonse was probably fatally injured. Gus Alleman, the driver, was seriously hurt.

Now comes the bathtub, for hogs. It is advocated by the farm bureau of Jo Daviess county. The bureau says a bathtub for hogs is just as necessary as a similar modern improvement for human beings. The hog must be kept sanitary, and the only way to do it is to build it a tub and let it wash. "It has been found," says the bureau publication, "that a bathtub made of planks, eight feet long, four feet wide and one foot deep is a good size. Place it in the shade, fill it half full of water, add one pint of a coal-tar dip as a disinfectant and a tablespoonful of crude oil on top. This bath can be cleaned out and renewed frequently. A sanitary bath has been found to prevent hog troubles from progressing."

—The Pointer, Riverdale/Dolton, Illinois, July 28, 1922, page 8.

Dreaming, Crawled Out Window, Fell Two Stories

Fort Wayne, Indiana, 1909
----------
IN DREAM CRAWLED THROUGH SECOND FLOOR WINDOW

George Huber Hurt About Hips While in Somnambulistic State.

Dreaming that he was caught under some hogs and endeavoring to escape from them, George Huber, an employe of the Eckart Packing company, crawled out of a second-story window and was only aroused from his somnambulistic state when he struck the ground, alighting full upon his back and hips. His injuries are also internal, but it is the opinion that he will recover. The unfortunate occurrence took place at the man's home, 1717 South Harrison street, about 2 o'clock Tuesday morning.

Huber's fall was twelve feet. In lifting the curtain pulled down over the window, Huber thought he was pulling aside the burlap used in rooms at the Eckart plant. He was crawling on his hands and knees, when he emerged into the empty air.

Mr. Huber was kept in his home Until late Tuesday afternoon, when the matter was reported to Trustee Branning, and he was removed to St. Joseph's hospital. That branch of the Huber family has been very unfortunate recently, one of its afflictions being the critical illness from typhoid fever of a daughter.

--Fort Wayne Weekly Sentinel, Fort Wayne, Indiana, September 15, 1909, page 9.



Sacramento, California, 1922
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Mother Fails to Die In Eighth Attempt

BY INTERNATIONAL NEWS SERVICE BY UNITED PRESS

SACRAMENTO, Aug. 4. -- Mrs. Antoinette Harlan, young matron of this city, shot herself here today in the eighth attempt she has made to commit suicide in the past six months. She will recover. Mrs. Harlan is the mother of an 18-months-old baby and is said to have been depressed as a result of a destitute condition.

--The Oakland Tribune, Oakland, California, August 4, 1922, page 1.



Battle Creek, Michigan, 1907
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STRANGLES SELF WITH STRAP.

Tennessee Banker, Fearing Associates Would Rob Him, Suicides.

Charles W. Shulte, a wealthy banker of Memphis, Tenn., committed suicide by putting a strap around his neck and tightening it notch by notch until he strangled himself. His wife found the body in a bath tub where it had lain for several hours. Shulte came to Battle Creek, Mich., two months ago to rest in a sanitarium. He believed his bank associates were plotting to secure his wealth, and that the bank faced a failure. Though not ill, Shulte brooded so continually at home that it was thought a change would do him good. His suicide came without warning. Shulte was 63 years old. His wife is much younger.

--Daily Herald, Chicago, February 1, 1907, page 2.