The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1878-08-01
Home and Farm .

of romantic interest.
Home and Farm.
To FATTEN PIGs.-We extract the
following from On article on pork, by
S. A. Knapp, of the Western Stock Jour
nal During the first six months OF
pig life, the rapid production of bone
and muscle is of primary Importance.
Oil cake, beans, peas, middlings from
| spring wheat, grass and milk would
seem to meet the conditions. Feed at
least three times per day (and better
five times) drink made of equal guam
titles of rich wheat middliDgs, oat meal
aud corn meal thoroughly cooked, add
ing water till the proportion is five
| pals of water to one of the mixed
meal. Some milk SHOULD be added
the more the better. If there could
be added quantity of cooked pota-
toes, thoroughly mashed, the mixture
would be complete; feed soaked corn
as much as the pigs need. The quan-
tity of corn fed may be as increased as
needed. Under this treatment the
| pig will retain that round and fresh
|
| growth. Continue this management
until the pig is six months old; then
by degrees accustem the pig to soaked
meal for drink, adding little of the
cooked for relish. For one month be-
fore the pig Is sold, the chief diet
may be dry or soaked corn. This
treatment will enable the farmer to
| place his pigs upon the market at an
average of one pound per day under
one year of age. The extra labor of
cooking the food for 100 pigs would
not be one hour per day; the edVan
tage would range from ten to fifty
pounds per animal. In summer give
| plenty of clover range, also some
patches in the pasture should be sown
to oats and some to rye, so that the
| animal may consume the largest amount
of green food possible. From four to
eight years of corn per day is sufficient
for large hogs till short time before
selling, when the amount may be in
creased. In no case allow swine to de
pend for drink upon surface water. A
clear brook or good well should be
the reliance, and we'll is the better,
because the water is less liable to be-
come impure by the walloWing of the
swine; and it can be readily deter
mined whether all the animals are
drinking regularly, which is just as
essential as the question of food. In
case the skin is dry, the bristles rough,
and the animal appears gaunt and
feverish, give concentrated lye every
second morning for two weeks at the
- LII - E
water. Also furnish an abundance of
sulphur, ashes and salt. Salt SWINE
upon pasture regularly three times per
week. In no case should corn be the
sole diet except IN the closing stages of
fattenlng.
No method will be found to give
better results for fall feeding than to
mix wheat shorts or oatmeal with cook
ed pumpkins or potatoes, and feed it
literally with the corn for q relish.
When we go to the table we want
something as an appetizer, and hog is
the same-he needs relish. The abil-
ity of all ANIMALS to digest food is linn
tied, and if dry corn be fed that limit
is soon reached; if passed, the animal
soon breaks down. Then the rule
should be, always feed little less dry
corn than the animal will consume, and
give plenty of nutritious slops to fill up.
A man forced to live on corn bread and
water would soon lose his appetite, but
with the substantlals he mixes some
lighter food, vegetables, relishes and
good drink. Use the same good sense
in feeding hog and the cholera will
disappear. We leave it for every farmer
to fix up the good hog slops to suit
according to the force of circum
stances. In the fall we should say,
cook pumpkins or potatoes, and scald
IN shorts, then add water till the whole
is of the consistency of porridge.
Let it be observed that the cost
of cooking a relishing drink for
hogs is very different from cooking the
entire food. In winter feed dry corn,
and for drink use wheat shorts and
well water pumped fresh. Three pals
of shorts to q barrel of water is just
right; then add two pals of hot mush.
This warns the water and sweetens
the drink. One half hour of extra
labor per day in preparing the mush
will be repaid four fold IN pork pro-
duced. 1t can be demonstrated that
fifteen ears of corn per day iudicously
fed will produce as much pork as thir
ty ears fed in the ordinary way. Com
Portable places to sleep and eat, dry
and not exposed to the wind, are es.
sentials. Finally, weigh the hogs
every week, if practicable, and If you
do not average at the lowest ten pounds
of pork for each bushel of corn fed in
the winter, and twenty pounds in the
summer, come to the conclusion that
something is wrong with your stock of
hogs. This great difference between
summer and winter is accounted for
by the green food consumed.
EscUTCHEoN MARKS. John =
Poyntz writes to the Kentucky Lire
StocE Record respecting Escutcheon
Markings in milk stock, that while
they may be important as indicating
duration of flow, other equally import
ant markings, such es that of quality,
are az desirable. "The faculty of Sc
creting the coloring with their product
of milk is indicated by the color Of
their skin. Thus: the COW with car
rot colored skin, eliminating dandruf,
will afford the yellowest milk, upon
which the cream will rise in the short
est time; they are consequently most
desirable for tie butter dairy. The
COW with orange-3olored skin, without
dandruff, will afford yellow milk,
which viii hold the cream globules in
suspense for greater length Of time,
and Is, therefore, more desirable for
family use. The COW with ash-colored
or white skin produces white milk sHd
cream, and is, therefore, without the
merit Of giving yellow color 20 her pro-
duct and an ill-bred specimen Of de-
SIR bic stock for butter.
PEACHES DRIED WITH SUoAB.-Peel
yellow peaches, cut them from the
stone IN one piece; allow two pounds
Of sugar for six pounds Of fruit; make
3 syrup of three-qusrters Of pound Of
szgar and = little water; pus in the