Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1864-07-13
How to Raise Hogs.

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pense, and leave the land in the best
condition. All farming, in my opin-
ion, ought to be conducted with a ref
erence to the continued improvement
of the soil. Present gain, by deter
ioration of the soil, will ultimately
prove to be q less.
Say we have a good stock to begin
with-a stock which natures early
and fattens well. The pigs should
come from the middle Of March to
May. There is q great advantage in
pigs coming at this tine, as we can
Craze then through two summers and
have them TO keep only through one
winter. They come to be of fine size
by the second fall or winter. Hogs
may be pushed into market younger,
but at more expense in grain, and
they will be smaller at ~fattening time
which is a great advantage.
The greatest profit in hogs is IN
grazing them, and turning them up
on grain fields, where they can gath
er for themselves, and having them
large and in good condition at fatten-l
ing time. The sows and pigs should
be kept in good growing condition, by
feeding them on Indian corn, or corn
meal made into slop. As soon as the
clover begins to blossom, n a little be-
fore, turn them upon it. Sows and
pigs should still be given some grain,
while in the clover. Having field
of oats early sown-the size of the
field to be in proportion to the num-
Der of hogs-and as soon as the oats
are ripe, turn the hogs upon them 10
gather for themselves. To pasture
hogs to the best advantage through
the summer, it will be necessary te
SOW a field of rye. as above, and after
they have eaten the oats turn them
upon the rye, Though the rye will
be ripe before the oats, il is thought
better to let the boards rot, and it
will keep good in the field until Sep
TENDER; whereas the oats will rot in
n short time. After the hogs have
eaten the rye they may 60 upon the
clover again, They then shOuldhave
old corr 10 keep them from being re-
duced in flesh; the second crop of clo-
yer not being as good as the first
This method may appear very waste
full to those not familiar with il; but
if a little grain is left on the field it
will be an excellent fertilizer, and the
straw and everything that grew ON
the field is left there, except the fat
that is driven off with the hogs. This
leaves the field in good condition for
the next year.
The hogs should be ket in good con-
dition through the winter and spring.
The best place 10 winter them is in
woods, and let them have low, long,
dry shelters to sleep in. Let them be
turned on the clover the second year
about the time it blossoms, and pre-
fer to give them a little grain. Then
let them 60 on the oats and rye as
they did the first year. When they
come off the rye the second year, it
is very important to grain feed them
while on clover, until they are put up
to fatten. 1t is a great advantage to
have hogs large andi in good condition
when fatteniBg time commences. A
lot or small field of corn, early plant
ed, to turn on about the 18th or Goth
September, is an excellent plan; or
fence off with a temporary fence, a
portion of a larger field. Continue
the hogs in the field until about the
middle of October or the first of No.
vember; then take them to a field in
tended to be ploughed for next season
"a clover field is BEST and feed them
plentifully uutil about the first of De-
cember, at which time they will be
fit for market or Strengthening.
By feeding down upon the field,
you save labor of gathering. and leave
all that grew upon it, except what is
driven off in fat upon the hogs. By
sowing the field in rye a few days be-
fore the hogs are taken off, a fine crop
can be obtained. The grain left up
on the fields pastured during the sum-
mer will soon spring up and afford a
fine fall and early winter pasture
If it be intended to SOW the oat and rye
fields in clover, the p~asturing down of
the grain makes no difference. Take
off the hogs as soon as they eat the
grain. The ~decaying straw and ma
nure left upon tho field will be an ad-
vantage to the clover.
The hogs should be well sailed, and
have access to water. From the mid
die of October to the first of Novem-
Der it is important to have a good, dry
shelter for them to sleep in; earlier
than5they will generally sleep in the
open air. If it is desired 10 fatten
hogs the first season after we CON-
memo raising, of course we must buy
them of suitable size in the spring.
The number kept to breed from must
be suited to the number we want to
raise. A good brood SOW will raise
two listers q year, and from six to ten
at a litter. A little experience in the
matter viii direct us Alright.
By a strict attention to the above
method of raising and fattening hogs,
as much or more can be obtained for
the grain that it a be sold for, and
all of it fed upon the farm, which is
no small consideration. By raising
gram and selling it off the farm, it
will be becoming poorer. By raising
and judiciously fattening hogs, the
farm will be growing richer. This, in
ten years, will make a great differ
ence. | have known some farms, re-
duced to almost sterility by bad man.
agement, by a proper management in
sowing rye and oats and clover, and
feeding them on the ground, made
very productive. Feeding Indian
corn upon the land is very improv-
ing to it. Ionce knew a field planted
in corn for four years in succession,
and the last crop was as good as any
that preceded it.
In regard to the worth of grain fed
to hogs. l made one long-continued