Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1878-08-02
From Walker.

ED. BULLETIN:-Having leisure
day, | thought | would improve it by
picking up few items for the BULLE-
TIN. l went down as far as Toddville,
on the B., G. r. & N. r. r., and failed
to find much there besides the striped
pole and the doctors office. Then |
made run over to Chas. Weeks fa-
nous stock farm, about two miles east
of Toddville, and there | got richly
paid. From my experience, | must say
that any farmer stands in his own light,
not to visit said farm, though he has to
make a journey of 100 miles, and see a
model piggery and some Of the best
stock in the State.
The proprietor is the right sort Of a
man, and in the right place. He is not
in the business to build up himself and
despoil others, but with just apprecia-
ton of the needs of Linn county, a
county in most respects not whit be-
hind any in the State. He embarked in
an enterprise of which Linn may well
be proud, and from which farmers may
derive an incalcuable benefit For
what IS more important to the farmer
than an improvement of his hogs?
Many of us know of the class of hogs,
that with Indians were the natives Of
this great West; that crossed the Behr-
ring Straits on ice, at the time the Bah
elites were scattered-the third row
hogs, the racers, the tree climbers, the
fence jumpers, and the best that could
he done by way of making porkers of
them, after feeding one three months on
100 bushels of corn, was to get good
thick, tough hide, good portion of ears
and legs for souse, a long jowl to pick,
and ham and shoulder bones to scrape
Such is no burlesque on the hogs of
our daddies." What an improvement
we have seen, and still there is an open
field before us. Three years ago, Esq.
Weeks started out in the swine business.
to raise and prepare for the farmer a
first-class article He was not satisfied
to pick up the best blood known to
breed from, but he improved on that
breed, and now he takes pleasure in ex-
hibiting model piggery, and 400 of the
incest and best hogs of one year old and
under in the State Does any question
his ability to do so, then go and see, and
be convinced. The trip from Toddville
will cost you nothing, and irst-class
meal thrown in. The Esq drives No.
l team for the benefit of his visitors,
and his better half gets up table that
will tempt any delicate appetite. Go
and test real hospitality spread on thick,
and without partiality, and true gentil-
ity without ostentation. Go and see
a model farm of 23O acres, we'll selected
all made by him, with it's nice improve
ments, and ample fields and growing
crops. OF course you will not 60 away
without seeing his stock. You will go
through his piggery, and witness the
nice and ample arrangements for the
comfort, cleanliness and feeding of his
large herd of swine, for it is theory
there, that mud-hole, filth and poor
food and water, are just as appropriate
to vigorous growth and health in a hui
man being as in hog. His herd is d.
vided up into as many parcels as con-
dition and necessity demands, and each
have access to clean water and fields of
grass and clover, and are faithfully
watched over and cared for by John,
his stock overseer. "A proper care of
his large stock tends to their health
A good well Of pure water is at each
end of his piggery. where are his store,
rooms and cellars for feed. His piggery
is 1876 by 80 feet, about one-half Of
which is for the feeding of his Poland
pigs, Of which he has about PA; the re-
mainder is divided off into stalls OF
pens, 10 by II feet, on each side of a
spacious alley, with suitable feed
troughs and drainage to keep bedding and
floor dry. Over the whole are two sets
OF windows, for ventilation, and sun
tight. The whole thing is in perfect
keeping with his arrangement for sue
cess, and must be seen to be known
OF course you will not fail to see Little
Mack and Illinois Chief, said to be the
best Poland China boars in the State
and as you 90 out of the west gate, you
will probably be saluted with a grunt
and run from 80 or GO of as pretty
and 3 months old Berkshire pigs as you
ever saw His breeding sows are all
from one to two years old, of which &c
are pure Poland China and Berkshires
His. Poland herd is his speciality ant
pride, in which he is bound to succeed
and 60 up to the head, for he knows nc
such word as failure, and his pluck is
large and healthy. In 3 years he has
gathered a herd of 400; in two years
more he is bound to have 1000 of thu
best pigs on the continent, and then fol
grand coronation, at which old Linn
will roll up tremendous shout. Long
live King Charley.
My article is that long, | have NJ
space for those 16 strawberry roam anC
half-blood short horn cows, that were
standing down there in the shade, by
the twisting, spluttering, dashing Otto
Greek, or Of that 400 dollar colt team
or Of the many things seen en- route
home $.
Julv Both. 1878