The Practical Distiller Part 8

_Profits of a Common Distillery._

Profits arising from a distillery with two common stills, one containing 110 gallons, and one containing 65 gallons that is well conducted for 10 months. The calculations predicated on a site, distant about 60 miles from market. Due regard is paid to the rising and falling markets in the following statement. The selling price of whiskey will always regulate the price of grain, the distiller's wages, the prices of malt, hops, hauling, &c. is rather above than below par.

_Distillery, Dr._

To 1077 bushels corn, at 50 cents per bushel, is $ 538 50

533 bushels rye, at 60 cents 309 80

96 bushels malt, at 70 ditto 67 20 ______

1706 bushels total.

60 pounds hops at 25 cents per pound 15

100 cords of wood, at 2 dollars 200

Distiller's wages per year and boarding 204 70

Hauling whiskey, at 4 cents per gallon 204 70

50 poor hogs at 4 dollars each 200 --------- $ 1739 90

_Contra Cr._

By 5118 gallons whiskey, at 59 cents per gallon $ 2559 50 fat hogs at 7 dollars each 350 --------- $ 2939 --------- Leaving a balance of $ 1143 10

I have charged nothing for hauling of grain, &c. as the feed or slop for milk cows, young cattle, and fatting cattle, will more than pay that expense.

An estimate of the profits arising from a patent distillery, (col.

Anderson's patent improved) 1 still of 110 with a patent head, 1 still of 85 gallons for a doubling still, and a boiler of metal, holding 110 gallons.

_Distillery, Dr._

To 2454 bushels corn, at 50 cents per bushel $ 1227 1216 do. rye, at 60 cents do. 729 60 200 do. malt at 70 cents do. 140 --------- 3870

120 pounds hops, at 25 cents per pound 30 100 cords wood, at 2 dollars per cord 200

2 distillers wages, boarding, &c. 400

Hauling whiskey, per gallon at 4 cents 464 40

120 poor hogs at 4 dolls. each 480 ________ Total expense $ 3671

_Contra, Cr._

By 11610 gallons whiskey, at 50 cents per gallon $ 5805 50

120 fat hogs, at 7 dolls. each 840 _________ $ 6645 50 _________ Clear profit, $ 2974 50 Profit of a common distillery 1148 10 _________ Balance in favor of a patent distillery $ 1826 40 _________

To do the business of a patent distillery or to carry her on to advantage, requires a little more capital to start with--but either the patent or common distillery, when they have run two or three months, managed by an attentive and brisk dealing man, will maintain, or keep themselves agoing.

Where wood is scarce and money plenty, the patent distillery is certainly to be recommended, indeed, in all cases, I would recommend it, where the proprietor has money enough. It is by far the most profitable, and will sooner or later become in general use in this country.

ART. III.

_Of Hogs._

Raising, feeding and fattening hogs on potale, a business pursued and highly spoken of, but from my experience I have discovered that few good pigs can be raised entirely on potale--as it has a tendency to gripe and scour too much; but after they are weaned and a little used with slop, they will thrive well.

If a hog in a cold morning comes running to a trough full of slop, that is almost boiling, and is very hungry--their nature is so gluttonous & voracious, that it will take several mouthfuls before it feels the effects of the heat, and endangers the scalding of the mouth, throat and entrails--and which may be followed by mortification and death;--moreover, hot feeding is the cause of so many deaths, and ill-looking unhealthy pigs, about some distilleries--which inconvenience might be avoided by taking care to feed or fill the troughs before the boiling slop is let out from the still.

A distiller cannot be too careful of his hogs--as with care, they will be found the most productive stock he can raise--and without care unproductive.

The offals of distilleries and mills cannot be more advantageously appropriated than in raising of hogs--they are prolific, arrive at maturity in a short period, always in demand. Pork generally sells for more than beef, and the lard commands a higher price than tallow; of the value of pork and every part of this animal, it is unnecessary for me to enter into detail; of their great value and utility, almost every person is well acquainted.

The hog pens and troughs ought to be kept clean and in good order, the still slop salted two or three times a week; when fattening, hogs should be kept in a close pen, and in the summer a place provided to wallow in water.

Hogs that are fed on potale, ought not to lie out at night, as dew, rain and snow injures them--indeed such is their aversion to bad weather, that when it comes on, or only a heavy shower of rain, away they run, full speed, each endeavoring to be foremost, all continually crying out, until they reach their stye or place of shelter.

At the age of nine months, this animal copulates first, and frequently earlier, but it is better engendering should be prevented, till the age of eighteen months--for at an earlier age, the litter is uniformly small, and weakly, and frequently do not survive, besides the growth is injured. It is therefore better not to turn a sow to breeding, till from 18 to 24 months old.

The sow goes four months with pig, and yields her litter at the commencement of the fifth; soon after encourages and receives the boar, and thus produces two litters in the year. I have known an instance of three litters having been produced in the year from one female.

A sow ought not to be permitted to suckle her pigs more than two or three weeks, after which eight or nine only should be left with her, the rest sold, or sent to market, or killed for use--at the age of three weeks they are fit for eating, if the sow is well fed. A few sows will serve, and those kept for breeding, well selected from the litter, the residue, cut and splayed. Care and pains is due in the choice of the breed of hogs--the breeder had then better procure good ones, and of a good race at once, tho' the expense and trouble may seem material in the outset, yet the keeping will be the same, and the produce perhaps fifty per cent more.

After the pigs are weaned, they ought to be fed for the first two weeks on milk, water and bran, after which potale may be used in the room of milk. I would recommend a little mixed potale from an early period, and increase it, so as to render them accustomed to the slop gradually.

ART. IV.

_Of the Diseases of Hogs._

The only disease that I know of which seems to be peculiar to hogs, is a kind of leprosy, commonly called measles, when it seizes them, they become dull and sleepy, if the tongue is pulled out, the palate and throat will be found full of blackish spots, which appear also on the head, neck, and on the whole body--the creature is scarce able to stand, and the roots of its bristles are b.l.o.o.d.y. As this disorder proceeds chiefly from their gluttony and filth, and hot drinking of potale and slop; to remedy which, it would be commendable to feed on cold potale, or scarcely milk warm, to keep them clean, to mix salt occasionally with the potale--tar their trough once a month, and give them a little ground antimony.

In fattening hogs I have known them improve rapidly, after eating the warm ashes from a fresh burned brush heap. Hickory or willow ashes will have an effect to destroy worms, and I think ought to be used, they will eat it dry, when put in their troughs.

ART. V.

_On feeding Cattle and Milch Cows._

Potale is a great creator of milk, and will increase the quant.i.ty greatly in cows yielding milk, but no so good. Young cattle thrive very well, that get hay or straw during the night. To fatten cattle there ought to be mixed with the slop, a little oil meal, or chopped flaxseed, or chopped corn. The cattle kept on still slop ought to get plenty of salt. Warm potale injures their teeth.