The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1871-02-03
farm aud 9onsshold.
HOGS ana hog Rals,ng in the south.

vsS as M
Hogs and Hog Raising in the South.
We give below an extract from an
essay, read before the Farmers Central
Club, of Attala county, Mississippi, on
the third day of September, 1870, by
John w. Hanna, Esq.
Now let us look at the meat and hog
question::
We will suppose that the population
of this county is 5000. l presume that
it is nearer 20, 600 aud only take 5000
as basis of calculation, and that these
buy half enough to do them-and that
they either buy the other half or do
without it-l50 pounds, a very small
allowance, to the head will give ESQ.,
600 pounds of bacon, which, at the cur.
rent price, twenty-five cents pound,
gives the handsome sum of 500, 900,
all Of which can be retained at hone. :
The question naturally arises, how
can this be done?
We will suppose, then, that this 200
farmers of the county procure each, one
brood sow of some thrifty breed; this
SOW, with proper attention, will raise
twice each year ten pigs-but 1 will
take one-half that number as basis of
talculation--and by judicious feeding
they will, In six months, attain the ag-
gregate of 2,Qg0 pounds, at twelve
months 5000 pounds and upwards
This gives for The county near 5000, 900
pounds of pork, worth l2I cts. Q pound,
nearly $4,000 and will be an album
dant supply for home consumption,
and some to sell, being 400 pounds a
piece for IL, 900 persons. In those two
items we save the annual expenditure
of $500, 900, and receive an income of
500, 600, making saving to the cOun.
ty of $500, 600 in a single year. think
that my estimates have been small and
my calculations not at all exhorbitant.
So much then for raising our own
horses and mules and hogs at home.
While upon this particular branch,
will endeavor to give you some of my
personal experience ON the subject.
Since the war, l have adopted the
plan of keeping fewer and better hogs,
which l find is the best policy for me.
l spare no expense or trouble in my
efforts to obtain the very best breeds.
My object in this was not only to DEM
Onstrate the superiority of good stock
over the common, but to show the rela-
tive cost of the food consumed. I kept
a correct account of the corn and peas
that l used in feeding six head of Ches-
ter White pigs until they reached the
age of six months, when they weighed
a gross aggregate of 1000 pounds.
During this time fed them IL bushels
of corn meal and the sa.le quantity of
pea meal, making an aggregate of SO
bushels to tle six pigs, Worth in the
NJ ~-ket 81 90 bushel. This was daily
made into Stops of Irish potatoes,
squashes and other cheap articles OF
fOeG, to which was added little salt.
Allowing 200 pounds for gross, wehare
1000 pounds of pork worth twelve and
half cents, giving a net profit of ST.,
in slXmonths from six pigs. Now ask
why can We not raise our pork as cheap
ii not cheaper than it is done in Ken
lucky, provided we procure the best
breeds and use a little industry and
economy?
My present system on my farm is to
urge each family of freedmen to shOul.
der part of this responsibility, and
raise as much pork as will do his fam.
lily. Shoa.d he fail in so doing, as is
sometimes the case, | am ready to sell
him what heneeds and wait until he
can pay me. In this have succeeded
very well, and by distributing stock in
this way, they will be apt to receive
much better attention than where they
are kept in large f1Ucks.
My best success in hog raising has
been with those which never permit
ted to run at large.
i still have on hand a few of the
Cluster" breed. If they are esteemed
at all, it must be for their large proper.
ton of bone and sinew, as we'll as fol
their fence climbing propensities anG
roo. digging proclivities. am sure il
cannot be for their large yield of pork
compared with the amount of food con,
Sumed.
Sorgum, peas, iri>if potatoes, turnips
squashes, bulled cotton seed, etc, (every
man who has gin should get butler
1--WE regard the cotton seed meal, aftel
the oil is pressed out, far preferable t.
the raw bulled seed, and would recon-
mend exchanging the seed fnt meal
ED.,] are the most easily raised, fol
cheap as well as early food. Glle acre
of sorgum will feed 20 head o. hogs 8
month and keep them i'm a thrifty con
ditiOn; one hundred bushels of Irish
potatoes can be raised to the acre, with
a cost of about twenty dollars, and thi:
will feed a number of hogs until frost
We should resolve to-day to build oul
cOrn-cribs at home, and fill them, q:
well as our smoke-houses, and keep oul
money at home, for the improvement
CT our farms and to render our homes
more comfortable and attractive, ant
not send it off to enrich the Golfers o
the North and West for something t.
eat.
!. In conclusion, | ask the cooperation
ofevery farmer, as well as every goot
citizen of the country, of other callings
hoping by this means we will be ena'
bled eflectually to develope the re
sources, prosperity and wealth of oul
country.
Then we can say to the immigrant
that ours is land of abundant supple:
and we will have no difficulty i'm Oh
tanning a sufficiency of labor to insure
further developments. Until we be
come producers Instead of consumers
until we raise a surplus of provisions
honestly believe we commit grave
error in inviting immigration to ou
country, and think that foreign inn
migrants show their wisdom i'm no
coming to a country where the resi-
dent population do not make enough
provisions to support its own citizens
We must look carefully at this MATES
before we invite immigration. Thos,
who desire more labor must learn t.
make more supplies.