The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1878-03-14


Few Of our farm animals reqeire more
careful attention during winter than
swine, and certainly none pay better ror
the care bestowedS and yet, msny farm
era who carefully stable tHsir horses,
and provide warm quarters for their cat
tie, calves and sheep, seem to think that
hogs can take care of themselves. This
they are perfectly willing to do, pro-
Vided the material is at hand. shat
IS, they will do the best they can under
the circumstances. If they can find a
stack they viii burrow there and lie
warm if there is timber, they will carry
straw or leaves to the densest thicket,
and build high bed enough so they may
lie dry, SO far as dampness from the
ground is concerned. In fact, swine will
exercise more tact and ingenuity TO sleep
comfortably than any other of the ami
mails Of the farm. Their lack of natural
covering requires that they do this, and
thus it becomes one of their strongest
instruct -
Another regularity Of swine is that
they will lie together, If possible, and
this from tbe same natural instinct &c
before given. Also, as a meaps OF self
protection, they are essentially grega-
rious, more so than any other of our farm
animals except sheep. In a state of
domestiestion, none of our farm animals
have been made more artificial than
swine, except our workings horses. Hence.
none are more liable to disease r7nen kent
together and fed in LARGE droves. IF
allowed to follow their own instincts
they remain healthy. When treated
artlhciallyt We must provide them the
means of comfort Just IS We should and
do with otner farm animals. They must
have Enelter from cold in winter and
from heat In summer, and be provided
Wmte growing with a variety of food.
None of our farm animals are more
choice in their food, il 80 allowed, none
require greater variety, and none are
more cleanly in their habits than swine.
Yet they have always been considered
the type of uncleaaliness, both in their
food and habits. Il has come down to
us from the time of the Israelites, whose
adherence OF swine amounts almost to
a mania. Considering that swine are
the most important among our meats
producing animals, IL would seem to be
about time that farmers came to recog-
nize what they really require in their
artificial condition. They are given at
the head of this paragraph.
One of the pecuiarities of swine, when
confined to close quarters, is their
especial greed Of carbonaceOus matter, as
coal, or other changed vegetable matter
of a ike nature. When allowed to follow
their natural instincts they get this from
half-rotten wood, and in the earth when
footing. Rings are put in hogs noses
they are Kept in filthy yards, or close
pens; they are fed on corn and water
and expected to thrive. 1t is little
wonder that epidemic and contagiou:
% a 4r
the drOves Of those who really do under
stand their requirements, and try to give
them the best possible care.
Swine eat fewer vegetables than any
other farm animal, and yet they are
carniverous feeders. They require anima
food or its equivalent, roots, PANTS anC
grain. 1t is true they may subsist OF
corn and water when confined in a Close
pen. Yet it is not to be commended
breeding animals. certainly cannot be sc
kept. If to this be added that the swine
are usually kept in large drOves, or in
confined and dirty quarters, eufeeble
ment soon comes on, and they and theil
progeny viii contract disease that Otter
becomes epidemic or contagious in it;
nature, and, as we know, will sometimes
decimate the swine of a whole region o
country. Those most enfeebled, or mos
SINBllp4C ~ 0ASCoSCl diC SnSPb away
and we again have few years whel
swine become comparatively healthy
Wecall the disease cholera for want of
better name.
The Prairie Farmer throws out thes
hints more with view to call the atten
tion o. farmers 10 the necessity of study
ing the habits of swine. than for tn
purpose of writing their peculiar re
quirements We see them wallowing i
the mud. Iii one of their instincts
by which they keep themselves cool j
the summer, and protect themselves froI
the attacks of insect enemies If the
have access to running water, they wi
fully as often be found there, bathing, i
summer. We find them roofing in tn
earth. They are industriously seekin
gIubs and the Larvae of other insect
They may run squealing about ban
or muddy yard, with bits OF straw i
their mouths. A STERN is coming OIL
an then instinct leads them to build
bed high aud dry. We may take an
snimal-and make. it so artificial as Ell
tirely to Change even its instincts.
certainly speaks we'll for the hog, thu
while man has tried his best to make
filthy in its habits, through centuries
abuse, he has not so succeeded when I'll