The Panola weekly star. (Sardis, Miss.) 1882-18??, 1884-12-13
CHEAP SHELTERS FOR SWINE.
a Gain 80 Great that It should Never lie
Neglected.

The gain from shcltering farm stock
in winter Is so great that II should new
or be neglected, and 10 animals give 0
return for shelter than swine
When exposed to the weather, these an.
finals will huddle closely together. ana
in their struggles to get TO the center Of
the heap, where it is warmcst. some
may be severely injured. They will be.
come heated in the heap, and when they
get up the cold air strikes their bodies,
and producing congestion, induces the
fatal diseases SO prevalent during the
latter part Of the winter. There j. q
great saving in food by s%heitering; cX-
pcrimrnts have shown that in severe
winter weather, sheltered hogs will,
from the same amount Of food, lay on
nearly twice rs much flesh as those eN-
posed. The hog seems TO be the least
adapted Of all farm animals TO endure
exposure; il has not the thick skin and
coat Of the OK. or the warm fleece Of
the sheep to retain bodily heat and %
protect them from the piercing cold.
The farmer who has a few logs or
large poles, and straw for a roof, need
be- at no expense for materials in making
n swine shelter. Select q southern OF
eastern slope. when possible, and II
wooded. all the better. Build up with
logs or poles a square pen four feet high.
Any sized logs or poles may be used, but
the best are foot or fifteen inches in Ill
ameter for the lower ones. using lighter
ones (say six inches in diameter)
towards the top. where It would DO
difficult To place logs AS heavy as those
used In the bottom. The logs must be
notched, or else the chinks between
them stopped with boughs or slabs. TO
make the sides tight for " feet from
the ground; above this, notch the poles
only enough 10 make them lie solid, and
leave the chinks open. The lower logs
must be uotched enough to keep them
from rolling. On the upper side Of the
pen. dig u shallow trench u foot OF so
from II. and bank up earth from this
against the logs, to prevent surface
water from running in. Lay poles
across the top and on these build . roof
of straw. In the east or south s,ie saw
a doorway three feet wide. mailing
boards to the ends Of the logs to keep
them In place. No door " rcqurcd.
Give no Hitter; the animals will be warm
enough without It.. The roof should
project n foot beyond the poles MI
around. 10 keep the snow from drifting
In ut the creyiccs; this can b. done By
making the poles which support the
roof sufficiently long. This pole shc'ier
protects the swine from rain and sno v,
and the lower part Of the walls being
solid. from cold winds. Hogs slcep,ug
in a shelter soon contaminatc the AR;
a. their bodies and civilizations heat
this air. Il rises and passes out at the
openings in the walls. while the cold
outside air enters aud gradually settles
this allows the hogs TO constantly have
pure air. while cold wintry blasts 10
not strike upon them.
An excellent shelter may be made IN
n hillside. sloping towards the south ~
east by digging down the bank perpcn.
d%'eulafly 10 form a wall four feet high,
making the floor level. Ten or twei,,
feet from this wall set n uw Of foriet
posts. upon which lay n pole for the rOI
20 nnst upon. Upon this pole smaller
ones or rails may b. laid. and upon
them n straw roof Il built. or = nUarl
roof may be laid fum tho wall 10 III,
pole. In this case Il Is bcs. to hayn 4
role In the middle also. II there is I,
he n straw roof, the pole in the fork
and the top Of the wall must be ct
level. but for a board roof the pole mss
; be six inches lower than the top # ~,
wall. Dig q shallow ditch along III
upper side. The lower side Is left opan
The two sides viii be partly open. an,
: are closed by driving down stakes IN,
I banking straw against them, which b I,
h. covered with earth. Leave an or.n
ing along the top for ventilation. Ihi
i as good q swine shelter as ran b
: made. and requires little labor snl
material. as the walls are II earth.
I Another good shelter Is made by ct
: ting on three sides north. west, AM
; south or castl n row Of stout stakes gu
[ Feet high. the corner ones being forAed
2 Against these pile straight brush wit
D The leaves on II possible. and cover hl
With earth. Place poles IN the fofls q
The corner stakes. and on these male
feef ef bosnls or straw. - directed 70
c the other shelters. The hank q brus
and earth should not reach quite 10 N
. ruul but leave openings for ventilation
u a.s'f~s . rcrfirr = she crer sefe :
these shelters ran he closed IN the IA
ny that he other sides are elcrei =
I14.H.I. I....-L..A