keep the same

Let it be applied in fine weather, else keep the sheep under sheds

for a few days; lest cold drenching rains might cause irritation from the quick

proportions.

silver, which is

mercury. (See Scab Remedies also for other animals. See

Sulphur and Salt, Valuable for Sheep, above.) It is also claimed that sulphur,

moistened with Spirits of turpentine, and rubbed into the sores, will cure it. I

am, then, of the opinion that it is caused by an itch mite, the same as itch, on

persons, which sulphur will ]<^ill then why not cure scab, which is an itch, on

sheep, dogs, and all other animals.

;

Sheep Marking Ink. — Take linseed oil, 1 pt.

"black, 1 oz.

;

litharge, 2 ozs.;

lamp-

Boil together, and it is ready to use; and it will not crisp or injure

the wool.

Sheep, Wash to Prevent Them from Barking Fruit Trees.—

The following wash is recommended as a sure preventive of sheep barking fruit

trees: "Take soap, the dirtier and stronger the better, and make a very strong

^

lb. whale oil soap in every 6 gals., and into this stir, with

brash or old stub of broom, sheep manure until it is as thick as good white>

wash, and with this mixture wash the trees as high as the sheep can reach. It

will be found that no sheep will come near enough to rub against them for at

Keep the

least two months, the time depending much on the amount of rain.

mixture handy, and repeat the application as often as necessary twice in a

summer will often suffice. Sheep running among fruit trees should have plenty

suds; dissolve

—

them to gnaw the bark, but,

The above mixture will effectually keep them away, and, besides it is a very good application

for the health of the trees, keeping the bark smooth and fine, and killing any

idsects that may come in contact with it."

of good fresh water;

it is thirst that first induces

after they liave once got a taste, they eat because they like it.

:

HIOOS.

The Best Kind for Profitable Raising, etc. — No matter how

much the doctors may say against eating pork, it will always be eaten,

and I am among the number who like my pork and beans, as well as

ham and eggs, the ham part being nice and tender to begin with, and has

been nicely cured, smoked, etc. I always expect to eat some of them as

long as I may live, and it being the same with many, very many others,

I will try to give a few ideas that shall benefit the others, to

obtain the best

breeds, how to prevent or cure their diseases, manner of feeding, etc., to the

best possible profit.

And as I desire to be as short as possible, I can not

cover the point as to the difference in breeds, and as to their value in the

markets, easier than to quote from the Western Mural upon these questions.

It says

Raising Hogs.—Which the Most Profitable.— "Did our farmer

readers ever take a slate and pencil in an evening and estimate the difference

between a good and poor breed of hogs? The increasing demand for ham

and lard in all parts of the world shows that hogs that yield largely

of these profitable parts are in demand.

The consequence is there is a rang©

in the market at this time at St. Louis, from $4.50 to $7.50, and at Chicago,

from $4 to |7, showing a difference of three per cent, in favor of the good

hog.

Nor is this all. While the improved breeds of hogs can be made as

easily and with equal food to average at 15 months old 350 pounds, as the

greaser hog will 175 pounds, or a little better hog will 225 pounds.

If

a farmer has 50 head of the latter class to sell now, he will get, at $4 per

cwt., $1,125. If he has 50 greasers,' which are too numerous in this country

yet, he will get $700.

But if he has 50 of the best Poland-China, Suffolk,

Berkshire, etc., which have cost no more, and which have rendered a largs

amount of satisfaction, he will receive $2,450.

These are figures that cannot be disputed, and are within the reach of every farmer who has 160 acres

The number, weight, or price is not overestimated."

of land in cultivation.

Remarks. Remarks are almost absolutely out of the question, for figures

don't lie, and there are too many whose experience have given them the $700,

instead of the $1,125, or the $2,450.

Don't do it again, is all that is neces«

'

'

'

—

sary to add.

As to feeding, etc.

,

see that head.

breeds, I will quote from a writer in the

On the question of the best

Rural World, of St. Louis, Mo.,

who gives the following reasons for his preference of the Berkshires, over all

others.

He says:

Berkshires the Best.— "While at St. Louis, I took a good deal of

pains to study the tastes of the packers as the breed of

740

hogs.

I

could

DOMESTIC ANIMALS.

741

plainly see that they preferred those that had a strong dash of the Berkshire

Mine were all half, and some of them nearly full Berkshire, and they

The Poland-Chinas that were young, and not of the coarser

Strains of that breed, were also in demand, and pleased the packers very much.

Both breeds furnish good hams and shoulders, as well as side meat, and have

blood

suited the buyers.

but little oflfal.

"From a long experience, I am satisfied that I can fatten the Berkshire

in one-half the time, and with one-half the corn required by the scrub breeds.

I wish that accurate experiments for farm purposes could be made with this

breed in comparison with the Chester White, Poland-China, Essex, or any

I feel certain that the Berkshire would bear off the palm,

"Was there ever a hardier, healthier breed? Mine have never had an hour ot

sickness, nor mange, nor any skin disease.

Do you see any comparing with

them as breeders? Other breeds may have as many pigs, but will they raise

as many nice, salable ones?

The Berkshires are so thoroughly established

that they reproduce themselves in their offspring.

All their pigs are fine.

They require no weeding out. They are nicely turned, square built, plump

other breed.

fellows that please the eyes of all.

The color is good.

They are sufiiciently

active and industrious, and are good gleaners

and grazers, are just the right

size for the packers, and furnish the finest hams to be found anywhere.

They have less offal, are not coarse, have small bones and are perfect."

Remarks. Although it seems that the Berkshires have a clear track, yet

I will give one more item in their favor, it being short, and right to the point,

—

as follows

Berkshire

]yir.

S.

Swine— Points of Superiority Over all Others.—

A. Knapp, an Iowa swine breeder, thus states his very high opinion of

the Berkshires

"The Berkshire hogs are superior to all others for the following reasons.

They possess greater vitality, and hence are less liable to disease.

"1st.

Mature sows seldom raise less than 8 or 9

"2d. They are more prolific.

pigs.

Being strictly a thoroughbred hog, the pigs are uniform— all choice.

Their flesh is firmer than that of any other hog. They furnish

superior ham, shoulder, and bacon. They bring a higher price for the English

"3d.

"4th.

market.

Remarks.— ^\m^\j, "none others need apply."

trial.

Still,

By all means give them a

for family use, I prefer a smaller hog, which

makes its best at

about 150 to, at most, 200 lbs. My stomach is not strong enough for the very

large and very fat kind, but T know their great value for the market, and

consequently to the farmer's profits. There is another advantage claimed by

many writers in favor of the Berkshire, and that is, that they are less liable to

have hog cholera than most other breeds.

A Small, Quick-Growing Hog Desirable.—Another writer makes

the following statement of the value of a small hog, as compared with the

larger ones.

He says

DR. CEASE'S RECIPES.

r42

"A small, early maturing hog is much more valuable than a large one, ati

no more food will be required to raise two good, quick-growing ones than for

a large but slow, all-lard-hog."

Remarks.

1.

— Some of both would be my plan

;

let others suit

themselves.

Hog Cholera —Its Cause and Best Known RemedieSo—

Cause. — A writer for the Country Oentleman, of Bronson, Mich, speaking of

"I have never known an instance of

the cause of cholera in hogs says:

cholera among hogs that had clean quarters and were fed regularly, kept warm

The

and dry, although fed exclusively on corn, if they had also pure drink.

disease is not caused by any one thing alone, but by a combination of many

To put a hog into a cold, wet, muddy place,

unfavorable circumstances.

exposed to hot days and chilling nights, compelled to pick its food out of the

dirt and filth and drink from a filthy trough or hole, are enough to make the~

All such abuses invite a sure penalty, and th©

best of the swine race sick.

wonder is that more do not get cholera, or something else, and die."

Remarks. All writers upon this subject agree upon the same things, but

none of them put it in such terse, or plain language. Some have written half

a column, and some more, and not said half as much as this writer, with his

few notes. Then give hogs clean quarters, feed them regularly, keep them

warm and dry, feed corn, or any other suitable feed, and see that they have

If you allow the other

plenty of pure water, if you would avoid cholera.

conditions of cold, wet and mud, and only a dirty hole to drink out of, it

seems pretty certain that, generally, you will pay the penalty by losing your

hogs. You see the difference, " you takes your choice."

—

—

" Ringing " Hogs Claimed to be a Cause of Cholera. Quite a

good many writing upon this subject of hog cholera, claim that the

unheal thful habit of "ringing" hogs is a prominent cause of this disease;

together with the habit of always keeping hogs in the same pasture from year

A

writer in the Cincinnati Gazette put it in the following shape:

" Another cause," he says, " is found in hogs occupying one field or pen.

from year to year, witlwtit cleansing, or plowing mider, the acoumidated filth,

the hog constantly " rung," denying him a taste or smell of fresh earth, or

the use of an instinct that teaches him in bilious derangements to search for

bugs, worms, or vegetable roots, the natural excitants of stomach, liver and

Another cause is scanty feeding, muddy, stagnant and filthy water,

bowels.

obliging them to allay their thirst often from the draining of their own

to year.

discharges.

"When the disease first made its appearance a few years ago, it was

characterized by many symptoms resembling cholera in the human being,

even watery discharges, emaciation and rapid waste. Its most usual form now

is loss of vitality, emaciation and drying up, with occasional paralysis, or an

entire suspension of secretions; no discharges; with an inflammatory state of

the liver, sympathetically affecting head, throat and lungs."

Remarks.

allowed.

—This last idea cannot be doubted, and hence should never be

A "change of pasture" for hogs is of as much importance, and

will give tliem as much pleasure and benefit as for other stock.

The following

receipt is this writer's plan of preventing, as well as curing the disease:

DOMESTIC ANIMALS.

743

3. Hog Cholera — Preventiv© and Cure — 'Madder, sulphur,

resin, saltpetre and black antimony, each 1 lb., assafcetida, 3 oz.

Directions.

each

— " Pulverize and mix well then feed three table-spoonfuls to

five hogs, three

;

times a week, with a little

[I take it this would be stirred into

salt,

more bran, and ashes.

moistened bran, or bran-slop, from what

he says below.] Commence feeding before the cholera gets into your neighborhood, and continue untit it ceases from the same and if, during the time

and before your hogs are properly medicated, one should take the disease,

immediately remove it to a dry pen. Give one table-spoonful of this mixture

in 1 gal. of water or table-slops once per day; and in order to make the cure

doubly sure, take one-half pint soft soap, 1 table-spoonful pine (common) tar.

warm and mix well, and drench the hog and my

1 table-spoonful of lard

;

;

;

word for it, it will ciire ninety-nine out of the hundred.

" If you will treat the first one or two in this manner, the disease will

spread no further. And you must remember that as fast as the disease

spreads, or in a ratio to the number infected, its malignancy increases, until it

will almost defy control.

Caution.

— " If the season should be wet, keep your hogs on short timothy

dry, on the best growth clover you have, and these are valuable

pasture

;

helps.

Sweet milk alone is said also to be good."

if

—It

is considered very important, if a hog is attacked with the

dumpish, lies around, or tries to get into the litter, or straw, of

the pen, to remove him at once from the others, lest the disease spread,

although quite a good many writers claim the disease is not contagious.

Although it may not be contagious, yet perhaps it will spread in a herd if

See the last paragraph

the sick ones are not separated from the others.

before the Caution above, as to its greater "malignancy," according to the

Remarlcs.

disease, gets

number infected.

Everything that will throw even the least light on the subject of hog

is of such great importance that I cannot refrain from giving an

Iowa man's opinion upon the origin of this disease. It is from the Patron's

It is based upon close confinement, i. e.. always in the same

Helper, of Iowa.

His

pasture, and also upon ringing, to prevent their rooting up the soil.

argument is strong, and his theory undoubtedly correct. Then let piggy's nose

go free to root as it pleases, as indicated below and also pay as much attencholera

;

as possible to the plan of nice clover if the season is dry; and short

timothy if the season is wet, as given in the last paragraph, or Caution, above,

tion

if

you hope for success.

4.

The following are his ideas and argument

Hog Cholera — its Origin. — "Let us watch our hogs in their ample

Some are browsing the herbage, some are destroying it by extracting

pasture.

the roots. Others—what are they doing ? Tliey are rooting into tliat woody

The crackling sound indicates that

hillside; into that hard, calcareous soil.

What can this be for V Well,

they are eating the clay with its limestone pebbles.

we cannot tell. We know it is a fact. It may effect something chemically;

but we sometimes doubt that, it being too crude to enter into the animal

ecenomy.

Perhaps its effect is mainly mechanical.

DR. CHASE'S RECIPES.

744

" The poor pig has no rights that man or dog are bound to respect, outside

of his pen, so it is furnished a pen; may be one or two acres; frequently much

less.

In 'Mrs. Piggy' goes with her numerous progeny. Everything goes

well for a while. They eat the grass and turn over the soil and thrive. Ths

owner improves his herd by an infusion of Chester White, Poland-China or

Berkshire blood. He is well satisfied with the profits of the investments.

"Anon! a change has come in the condition of things. The surfoce soil

The desirable properties are exhausted or befouled

is now all rooted over.

with droppings. The pigs endeavor to dig deeper, but the filthy mass falls to

the bottom; and soon it is said the pigs are not doing well.

" The owner changes their food, gives them sulphur and antimony and

what not. He concludes they look a little better, but they don't do well yet.

In fact, he sighs for the good' old Elm Peelers and Prairie Rooters.' It does

not stop here. The pigs are constipated, dyspeptic and mangy. Their blood

is out of order, and ulcers are found on some so as to cause portions of the

In fact, they have got the cholera. No wonder. Had

flesh to slough off.

the proprietor made a vegetable garden or a corn field of his hog lot a year or

two ago, and furnished his hogs with another pasture, his improved hogs

would have improved the strength and vigor of his herd, and also the condition

'

of his finances."

—If the result

one go and do likewise; if not

Let their

noses alone, and give them a large pasture, a woody one if possible. (See II

in Reports below).

Remarki.

is liked, let every

liked, take the sensible course that is sure to prevent the disease.

5.

Hog Cholera—Its General Symptoms and Treatment,

by Prof. Oressey. — The following was given through the Scientific American.

The symptoms are given very full, and the treatment is a common-sense

plan, and will undoubtedly be found

very satisfactory,

if

taken before the

The larger amount given, of course, will be understood for a

He says:

large hog, and the smaller amount for a small one.

" Hog Cholera is known as Blue Disease,' Red Soldier,' Distemper in

diarrhoea sets in.

'

'

'

This is undoubtedly a blood disease, and belongs to the anthrax

malignant type of fevers.

Symptoms First Stage. "The disease sets in and usually secures a firm

hold upon the animal before its presence is suspected. The one affected will

isolate himself from the rest and burrow in the litter, often remaining thus till

death, though sometimes they will run about as if wild, grunting and squealing as if in great pain. Dullness, drooping head and ears, and loss of appetite

are the symptoms observed, if at all, in the first stage. Now is the time to

Pigs,' etc.

—

—

remove him from the herd.

" In what may be called the Second Stage, the abdominal

Second Stage.

pains are indicated by lying on the belly, with fore-feet outstretched, and,

when caused to move, uttering shrieks. The skin takes on a purple color,

particularly upon the back and ears, along the abdomen and inside the thighs.

—

The pulse is rapid, but feeble.

—

Third Stage. "Diarrhoea sets in and becomes profuse in the Third Stage.

The pulse weakens and finally

The dejections are black and offensive.

becomes imperceptible. Breathing is difl3cult and spasmodic, owing to the

General weakness

condition of the lungs, and an irritating cough comes on.

is now apparent; the animal can scarcely stand, his legs get entangled like a

on the skin may

Eruptions

paralysis

soon

results.

tipsy man's, and complete

have followed the first discoloration, which now are succeeded by sloughing

DOMESTIC ANIMALS.

745

and ulceration. Insensibility precedes death from three to six hours.

The

malady sometimes appears in less fatal forms, accompanied by colored skin

and loss of appetite for a few days, when recovery follows; but this is uncommon. On post rnartem (after death) examination the appearance of rapid

decomposition is manifest, and all the tissues seemed transfused with blood.

—

Treatment.

" After diarrhosa sets in death is almost certain. Before that

administer quickly by means of a drenching-horn or long-necked

bottle, and, if the pig is large, tying him to a post with a rope around his

upper jaw Epsom salts, 2 to 4 oz. sulphur, 2 to 6 drs. gentian and gingef

(powdered), 1 to 2 drs. molasses, 2 to 3 table-spoonfuls; gin, 3^ pt. Clean bed'

ding and comfortable pens, with light diet of vegetable food, are required. A

free run in a bare pasture or lane is a great help.

In this, as in all other sick

ness, when possible, prevention is the best treatment, and simply consists ii>

careful feeding, plenty of vegetable food, cleanliness and exercise."

—

event,

—

;

;

;

run

Remarks. — Of course, the "exercise" he refers to can only mean a large

I do not see that he will move about much in this

—plenty of room;

still

condition.

The room, or "exercise " should have been provided before this.

6. Hog Cholera—Reports to the State Board of Agriculture of Illinois, -with Preventive. The State Board of Agriculture, of

—

Illinois, a short time since, sent out to the

various swine-breeders of the State

a series of questions to obtain all possible knowledge as to the cause and the

best known remedies.

The answers were in accordance, or agreeing generally

with the ideas as given above. No positive cure was claimed to be known.

Preventives, by care, removing sick ones from the herd, etc. were the leading

recommendations.

I will quote from only two or three of them; the first,

because he claims exemption of his Berkshires; the second, because he gives a

preventive in the line of medicines; and the last, because his herd escaped the

disease by " good feeding and keeping, and giving plenty of salt."

I.

The first was from George M. Caldwell, a breeder of Berkshires, of

,

Carlinville.

He says:

" I am satisfied that the Cholera is owing to the sudden transition from a

laborious, half-starved condition to one of high feed

and so convinced am I

that, while I have a pig, I intend to feed him liberally until sold.

During the

last three years my best Berkshires were running by the side of the diseased

stock, and some of the older sows with them nearly all the time.

I have

always fed my young Berkshires, and have lost none of them, I do not consider the disease contagious.

My hogs died in the Branch, and some of my

neighbors' hogs, just below, on the same stream, were healthy, and all the

water they got was from the Branch. These hogs, however, were on clover,

and fed some corn all the season.

Remarks. Here you see strong reasons why this gentleman does not think

;

—

The other two believe it is contagious.

The second is from Lemuel Milk, of Kankakee, who keeps on an

the disease is contagious.

II.

average 1,000 head of hogs. He reports:

" My experience is, that the fat hogs are more liable to be attacked. I

think that hogs having range of fields and woods are not so liable to be

affected.

I believe the disease is contagious have no doubt of it from my

experience and observation. I have used as a

—

"Preventive of Hog Cholera.

— Copperas, black antimony and fenu-

greek seed, each 5 lbs.; sulphur, 4 lbs., and saltpetre, 2 Ibe."

:

—

:

:

DR. CEASE'S RECIPES.

746

He does not tell us, but, of course, all should be pulverized and evenly

mixed; and for dose and manner of giving, see " Hog Cholera Preventive and

Cure," where quite a similar mixture is given except less antimony, and

the author would not use more than 2 lbs. of the antimony here given. He

—

closed as follows

" I have used as a remedy, with good result, carbolic acid, given in slop

and sprinkled on the bedding of the sick hogs. Several weeks after, the diseased hogs recovered; they became strong and healthy, after every hair had

come off. The hogs opened, that had died with cholera, generally had their

stomachs full of worms."

III.

The third is from O. B. Nichols, of Carlyle, Clinton county, also aa

extensive breeder.

He says :

" I believe the disease contagious, because one-half to three-fourths of the

herd die, as a general thing, when allowed to run and sleep together." And

" While last year my neighbors suffered heavy losses,

closed by saying

mine escaped the cholera, as I believe, by good feeding and good keeping, and

by giving them plenty of salt. Spi'ingfidd {111.) Correspondent of Chicago

:

Tribune.

Hog- Cholera— Two Well-Tried Cures for.—The Greenville (111.)

these cures: "The first is from a correspondent at Mill

Grove, who says the receipt was first published in the Prairie Farmer some

years since. The quantity given is for 100 hogs and is mixed with slop to

have enough for a few doses, say one pint of the slop to the hog, each time.

The following is the receipt

-4 (fwcaie published

"Sulphur, 2 lbs. black antimony, | lb.; arsenic, 2 oz.

" Our correspondent says he has tried it on a lot of fifty hogs, and cured

I.

;

all that were able to walk to the trough to eat the slop.

" The Second.

—Prof. J. B. Turner published the following preventives in

ihe same paper {Prairie Farmer), which our correspondent says he has seen

used with perfect satisfaction

II.

:

"Wood ashes, 1 pk,; salt, 4 lbs.; black antimony, copperas and

saltpetre, J lb.

Pulverize and mix, moisten and put in a

trough under a shed, where the hogs can have free access to it.

fiulphur, each, 1 lb.

;

—

8. Hog Cholera, Preventive and OurSi Moore's Rural New

" We have recently published reports of a

Yorker publishes the following

:

new and dangerous hog disease now prevailing in the western states.

Hon. T.

C. Jones, of Ohio, publishes in the Delaware, 0., Gazette the following pre-

ventive treatment with directions what to do in case of an attack

"'A mixture of ashes (wood), 1 pk.; salt, 4 lbs.; copperas, 7 lbs.;

sulphur, 1

lb.; kept constantly in a trough, is of great service.

If predisposed to cholera, hogs will eat it more freely than when free from all symp-

If a hog gets down, try to get into him a gill (4 oz.) of coal oil in slops;

has sometimes been effective when other remedies have failed.' "

Remarks. If 1 lb. of black antimony, pulverized, was added to the above

I think it would be all the better for it.

"Coal oil," of course, means

"kerosene," which is getting to be used by some physicians for persons^

toms.

it,

—

DOMESTIC ANIMALS.

giving a few drops internally and rubbing

it

747

on freely, for throat diseases,

rheumatism, etc.

9.

Calomel as a Cure for Hog Cholera.— A Mr. Benj. J. Kemp,

of Marlon county, Ind., says he has cured

all cases of hog cholera on hig

farm by giving sixty grains of calomel to each grown hog, mixing it with

flour dough.

—

Remarks. Although I am not much of a calomel man, yet I should have

no fears of trying this but I should think better of Mr. K. if he had given

his post-office address.

I suppose, however, he wanted to avoid correspondence, like many others do now-a-days.

The following is also from an In;

diana man

10.

:

Hog Cholera, Preventive and Cure.—Madder, saltpetre and

sulphur, each, 1 lb.

Directions.

Dose.

black antimony, | lb.

;

assaf oetida, 2 oz.

—In case they are sick, give four table-spoonfuls to five hogs once

Twice a week in the same

Correspondence of tlie Indiana Farmer.

daily, in slop.

Tested.

;

—All the articles to be pulverized and mixed thoroughly.

Remarks.

—This

is

proportion, as a preventive.

much like No. 3, but I like this better, as it has only

half the antimony in it as No. 3, and this man's mode of giving I also prefer.

The severity of the disease and the great losses from it, is my excuse fof

One more»

giving all the information I have upon the subject of hog cholera.

and I am done.

11.

says

Soap Believed to Exempt Hogs from Cholera.—A writei

:

"The exemption of hogs fed from the slops of hotels and private families

from attacks of cholera is attributed to the fact that such slops contain a considerable amount of soapy water.

The effect of potash is to cleanse the hog's

intestines of worms, making them more vigorous and healthy, and a little soap

fed with corn is therefore recommended both for economy and as a safeguard

against disease.

Remarks.

—Soap enters into the formation of many

tive properties,

pills for its carmina-

why should it be thought singular, or no account for hogs ?

But so far as the alterative properties are concerned, the ashes in the above

preventives would have the same effect. There is not a doubt but what hoga

should have salt as regularly as cattle, or other domestic animals and a little

ashes with it would be a benefit occasionally for all stock.

;

Hog Cholera, Positive Remedy from "Navin on the

Valuable also for Chicken Cholera, and as a Condition

Po"wder for Horses, Cattle, etc. —