Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1859-09-09
fnrmers' Column.
TuE HOG AND MS FOOD.

y correspondent OF the American Stock
journal gives some hints for the manage
mcut Of the hog. lie thinks that the
hog fattens most rapidly in such state
%. atmosphere as is most congenial to his
s]mt0rt, not too hot, nor too cold
Jlcucc, the months Of September, Oc-
tyber, and November are the best for ma
King pork. The more agreeable the
weather, the less is the amount of food
required to supply the waste of life. 1t
has been found by experiment that field
Of red clover is the best and cheapest
place to keep hogs in during the spring
and Summer months, where they can
have plenty of water, and the slop from
the house, and the sour milk from the
dairy All sour feed contains more nj
trogen than when fed in sweet state. -
The first green heritage of the Spring
works of the impurities of the blood,
cleanses the system, renovatcs the con-
stitution and enables the animal to accu-
muate store of strength to carry it for
ward in its destined course. A small
patch Of oats or peas to turn into when
the clover fails is good. Some object to
fattening hogs so early in the season, the
the Indian corn depended upon for the
purpose, not being matured. Taking all
things into consideration, it is better to
feed corn before it is ripe, as in that state
1t possesses considerable sweetness, and
most varieties are in milk by the first of
September. The hogs will chew it, swal
low the juice and eject the dry fbrous
matter, At this season of the year,
swine can be fed on many things not
readily marketable, as imperfect fruit,
vegetables, &c. When such articles are
used, cooking them in general is econom-
lcal Pumpkins, squashes, potatoes, and
apples boiled or steamed, mixed with one
eighth part in bulk Of mill-fced or meal,
whey, and milk left to sour will fatten
hogs fast. In this state they will eat it
with ayidity, and derive more benefit from
il than when fed in an unfermented state
Articles that are of perishable nature
should be used first, to prevent waste, as
it is desirable to turn all the products of
the farm to the best account Another
quite important advantage of early feed
ing is, the less trouble in cooking the
food and keeping it in proper condition
to feed out. The convenience of feeding
is promoted as there is no expense or
trouble to guard against freezing. The
more you can mix the food the better, as
they will thrive faster on mixed food
than when fed separately. In feeding,
no more should be given at time than
is "eaten up clean" and the feeding
should be regular as to time, 1t is Of
the greatest Importance to get the best
varieties, those that are ,rell- formed and
have an aptitude to tahe on fat readily
and consume the least food.
The writer says that there is a diver
sity of opinion as to which is the best
kind but, he prefers the Berkshire to any
he has ever kept This is the opinion
also of George Patterson, ESQ.,, of this
State, who is probably the best Judge and
breeder of livestock in this country and
will have no other kind on his farm
We recently saw there herd of nearly
hundred head /; they reminded us Of
old times when there was such rage fol-
this beautiful breed but they are now
generally disregarded, and the Chester
hogs are preferred for plantation use
They undoubtedly make the best bacon
and are called Englad "the gentleman
hog" they were very popular some years
ago in this State, but were generally dis
carded, as being providers for themselves
and we know of none that are pure
bred, but those on the farm of Mr. Pat
terson and Mr.. r McHcnry.
The correspondent of the Stock Jour
nal thinks that cross of the Suffolks
with the Berkshires make good feeders,
and the pork is excellent; they will usu-
ally weigh from $50 to 800 pounds at the
age of eight or ten or eleven months.
The better way is to have the pigs drop
ped about the first of April, and feed
well until December, and butcher. 1t
is wrong to let hog remain poor twelve
months Of its life, when it could be made
as large in nine months, as it generally is
at fifteen months If pigs are well kept
for three months they will thrive after
that, even if the feed is cut short. 1t is
now the opinion with our good practical
farmers that feeding apples to swine is
profitable and that there is no crop that
pays better according to its cost, being
fully equal to potatoes by measure, while
the expense is not more than three or
four cents per bushol. They are better
TO feed to stock hogs in a raw state than
potatoes indeed, he has found but little
benefit in cooking apples for swine. 1t
is desirable that hogs should be provided
with dry floor for eating and sleeping
only, the whole pen completely sheltered
froom the atmosphere, to save any wash
ing or waste of the manure One other
suggestion: every farmer should see that
the communicable of the loigge,y is fur
nished with plenty of straw, potato vines,
leaves, sawdust, and the like, with an
occasional load Of muck, and almost any
quantity of weeds, pea and buelSwheat
straw, all Of which will be converted into
the most efficient supports of vegetable
life. Hogs are the best composers known,
as they delight in upturning any such
articles as the farmer wishes to convert
into manure for the coming year.
--------.-------4-
CHEAP Dressing. Some of the best
gardeners make their ground produce all
the dressing they use unon their yepata.