Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1879-07-19
FARM TOPICS.

that milk is one of The very best things
for all kinds of poultry, whether young
or old, and that the refuse milk can in
no other way be more profitably turned
into account. 1t is usually given on the
farm to the pigs. which are no doubt
greatly benefited by it but more can be
realized from it BY feeding to chicks
and fowls. At all stages of their growth
they are fond of it, and it makes but lit
tie difference to them whether it be
fresh or sour. For very young chicks,
fresh milk should always be given, but
the milk can first be set away to cream,
and the cream removed for butter, be-
fore feeding the milk, thus making it
less expensive. For the little chicks be-
fore they have dropped their downy
coats and come out in full feathered at
tire, nothing better in the way of food
can be given than bread crust or bread
crumbs soaked in milk. This makes a
wholesome diet for them, and one
which is sufficiently nourishing to in
duce a healthy and vigorous develop
ment.-American Poultry Journal.
Too Much Pro IMPROVEMENT
Rapid growth, early maturity, ability to
convert large quantity of food into
good. salable product, ability to fatten
readily and to continue the process
these, says the Liue.Sfock Journal, are
all desirable qualities in swine, and they
all have been secured in each of several
breeds to remarkable degree. Have
we gone too far in our efforts to secure
these points? This is question worth
the asking, and it may be that an affirm
alive answer will have to be given. 1t
is well known that we can not secure
perfection, nor even very high excel
lence, in several directions at the same
time, and that almost certainly some
weak points will accompany the usual
development Of good qualities; hence
it is reasonable to suppose that, with
such marked development in such de-
sired qualities as our best breeds of
swine exhibit, there will be at least OBJ
vious tendencies to some undesirable
traits. II we add to this general prop
osition the facts that the present devel-
opment has been secured in many cases
by close in breeding and by reducing to
q minimum opportunities, at least in
centiyes, for exercise, and that often
times the breeding stock have not been
kept in the best conditions for robust
health in any respect, we shall think it
strange if the result has not been deter
ioration of constitutional vigor,
if not the implanting of we'll |
marked tendencies to serious
diseases. Is it rot the fact that very
many of the most highly improved
swine are not so healthful or so able to
resist disease or unfavorable circum-
stances as is desirable? But, aside from
all this, have we not carried the tenden-
cy today on fat too far? 1t is admitted
that many q show COW, or sheep, or
hog is too fat to be most profitable,
either for the butcher or consumer.
There is limit to the profitable pro-
duction of fat. Is it not true that the
TO lay on fat IS in excess of
what is really desirable in the case of
several somewhat highly priced breeds?
The proportion of lean meat has been
reduced to minimum, except in the
hams and shoulders, and greatly de-
creased in these. For home use'' do
any of US prefer such pigsi Ifany have
doubts on this point, let them examine
the carcass of well fattened hog, or
look at sides of bacon, or even at a ham
or shoulder. Ii opportunity offer, let a
be made of the carcasses of
model, well bred pigs, always kept in
high condition, and those of common or
grade pigs, which have had more length
II body, perhaps little more length OF
eg, and which have fed during part Of
heir lives on good grass or clover as
almost, their sole food, and which have
lever been without fair amount Of /.
laily exercise. 1t is quite possible the
!ecision may be that while the one set
would give the greatest profit when on
he market, the other would be much