Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1876-03-30
Summer Care Of Hogs.

Many farmers seem to think that fall Is
the only time in which pork can be made
proftably. In the winter they try TO find
out how small an amount of food will
sustain life in their pigs. During the
spring they experiment in the same direc-
ton. In the summer they turn their pigs
out to grass in a dry pasture, allowing
them 10 shirk for themselves, or else shut
them up in tight pen and feed them as
small an amount OF dry corn as is con
sistent with their keeping alive. During
three fourths OF the year hogs are kept on
short allowance, and, of course, their
gain is very small
About the time corn is harvested
farmers commence to rush things. Hogs
must now be fattened in "a hurry. Now
they receive about as many ears as they
have before received grains. They are
stuffed like sausage till their skins will
hold no more. They are fed so much that
they cannot digest half of 1t. The wonder
is that more of them do not die OF cholera.
They grunt from fullness now as little
while before they squealed from emptt-
ness. From hungry, half.starved crea-
ture the hog passes to a gourmand. The
farmer who was stingy of his corn before
is now prodigal of ii. He is impatient TO
see the machine in motion that changes IL
into pork. He wishes it would work
faster.
This method of doing things is all
wrong. 1t is contrary TO nature, reason
and economy. To produce pork to the
best advantage, hogs should be kept
growing all the year. During no time in
the season can pork be made SO cheap as
in summer. Glover is a cheaper material
to make il from than corn. II grows with
out cultivation or care. Hogs will eat 1t
where it grows, which saves the labor OF
harvesting 1t is common thing for
early pigs to gain a pound day on clover
alone. There is not so cheap or easy way
to make pork as this. The addition OF
one pound of soaked corn to their grass
food will cause larger growth, though
too much corn must not be given, for the
reason that they would neglect to cat
clover.
At all times Of the year hogs should he
kept in good, growing condition. 1hey
should never know hunger or be allowed
to run down. Their gain should be steady
from the time they are weaEed till they
are slaughtered. During summer they
should have the run of a good clover pas
ture, and receive grain in addition accord
ing TO the state Of the feed. They should
have shade, and if there are no trees to fur
nish 1t, sheds should be constructed. They
should have pure water in abundance. III
practicable, they should have place
where they can wade in clear water,
though bathing advantages are to be
classed as luxuries rather than as necessI-
ties. ..... -.
There is no doubt Of the fact that farm
ers do not sufficiently consider the ad-
vantage of change Of food for hogs.
Next TO man the hog eats the greatest
variety of articles Of food. il delights 10
flesh, grass, grain ana ruit and when at
liberty to choose will deyour them all ut a
meal. Hogs will always be more healthy
and gain better when they have a variety
of food In the East apples, potatoes,
roots and sometimes fish are fed 70 hogs,
and Il Is well known that diseases peculiar
to hogs are fewer therelthan in the West
where they receive little but corn 10 eai.
II Is said that the best tlavored pork IN the
world is found in Germany, where great
variety of food is fed To hogs.
Hogs at all ages are fond of food that
contains sulphur. IT is doubtless for the
sulphur il contains that hogs eat soft coal,
and they appear 70 thrive on IT, They are
also very fond Of mustard, which contains
good deal Of sulphur. As this plant -
very easily raised, producing as much
feed as almost any plant that grows, there