Cheraw gazette. [volume] (Cheraw, S.C.) 1835-1838, 1836-11-01
FiTTENING HOGS.

! FATTENING HOGS.
On the first day of December, four shoats
ofthe same breed, nearly of size, and as
much alike in every respect as could be Sc
lectcd from herd of ninety odd hogs, were
made choice of; each carefully weighed and
placed in a separate styc, where their food
could be exactly regulated. They weighed
between 81 pounds and 100. The two,
whose weights together made lso pounds
were fed on one gallon of shelled ldian corn,
weighing seven pounds to each. for every
twenty-tour hours, and as much water as
they wanted. This quantity ofiood was
plenty for them; generally they about con-
Sumed it. Some five or six different days
between the first ofDeccmber. and fourth OF
January, the time the experiment was gong
on. they did no. eat their whole allowances.
For the two shoats, whose weights to.
gethcr made l73 pounds. seven pounds OF
good Indian corn meal, by measure ten plnts
were made into good mush, or hasty-pud-
ding, and divided between them for every
wenty-four hours. That is, these two had
allowed them exactly halfthe weight olmeai
which the others had of raw corn. The
seven pounds ofmeal were daily mixed with
scalding water, and then we'll boiled: the
whole process Of cooking was done on an
average ofonc and half hours. They
were all fed twice day, and at the same
time. The evening feed Of the shoats, fed
on mush, was generally warm-'hc morning
feed, having stood all night, was always cold.
The seven pounds, or ten pints OF meal,
when cooked, weighed an average OF ~
pounds, and measured an average OF three
ralons. There was difference of nine
rounds in the weight of the latter pair
the smallest had the least appetite, and his
allowance OILS pounds Of mush, was just
as much as he appeared to want, or would
eat up clear; the other was greedy and al
ways sharp set, despatched his mess quickly
and wanted more.
Before the experiment had progressed a
fortnight, there was very pcrceptlblc diff
ference in the appearance OF these pigs
Those fed on the mush assumed a more
thrifty. healthy, fresh appearance, partIcu-
larlv of their hair, andthis difference became
more striking as the experiment advanced.
Ga the 4th ofJanuary, while preparations
were making for killing and dressing, they
were again weighed on the hooE One of
those. then, whose daily allowance had been
seven pounds ofcom each, had increased
20 pounds in the "a days; the other which
had had an equal allowance of corn, had IN
creased only five pounds. could not ac,
count for the difference by any thing could
discover. either before or after killing the
aDpctites of these two were much more alike
than of the others and their health was ap-
parcn,ly equally good.
Ofthc pair fed on mush, whose daily al
Iowancc had been three and 4 halt pounds
of meal each, the greedy one had gained 23
pounds and the other 2l pounds.
These arc all the material facts IN these
experiments, except that very small por-
ton Of salt was put into each mess OF mush
and there is no miracle in them. The
hogs allowed 81 pounds of feach, gained less
than threc-fourths ofapound daily, and this
surely they mighthav gained from the meal;
bat they gained more than those fed on
double that quantity ofcom. The saving
ofonc half Of the immense quantity OF corn
consumed in raising and fattcnng hogs in
MARYLAND, would be we'll worth the otter OF
a premium to have these experiments accu.
ratelv repeated and tested by different per-
sons.-iW. Ag. Report.