The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-07-21
Push the Hogs.
Southern. C,litiuutor.

The most successful porl-raisers are those
who give daily attention to the r hogs the
hogs that have never gone hungry to their beds
and have seen but one Christmas. The cheap
est food for hogs Is that which they gather for
themselves. The best breeds Of hogs,,other
things being eQual-is the well fed breed
The common practice Of keeping hogs bare
ly alive through the spring aud summer
months and then gorging them to safety on
concentrated food late in the fall and early
winter Is contrary to common sense, and
makes dear mot deer) meat.
The hog Is q grass and root-eating animal
by nature, and the law Of his nature should
be followed in feeding. taking care to give
the kind adapted TO his wants. believe that
the hleE cause OF the disposition to cholera
and other fatal. maladies Is the unnatural con-
dltions TO which. We subject the animal. The
closer we follow nature In the management
ofall kinds of.stock, supplementing in quantl-
ty as well rs improving In quality the natur-
al conditions, the more successful will be the
results
Tn my own experienced have little trouble
with cholera, In any Of It's forms; In fact
never had a case to originate In my herd.
attribute this exemption to the care In pro.
viding abundance of good water, natural
vegetable food at all seasons, and In keeping
them from danger Of Infection from other
hogs. .,.,.,
cies, fiourishes IL furnishes the very best sum-
mer pasture, romoting growth and healthy
development of the whole animal. 1tespecial-
ly develops the digestive apparatus, increases
It's capacity and powers, and prepares the an
imal for the final process Of fattening. In the
absence Of clover the ordinary grasses answer
q valuable purpose, so long as they are abun-
dant. and succulent But during our long
and frequently dry Summ ersr ordinary pas
lures dry up, aud iilii to meet the increasing
demands upon them. Then Is realized the
advantages Of soilng crops, lutern, green
corn, sorghum, collards, etc., which oy cuitl-
walton arc made in measure independent of
heat and drouth.
One of the best foods during the summer Is
green corn, stalks and all, after the roasting
car stage. have always believed that an or.
dinary corn stalk, with It's succulent ear cut
and fed 10 hog, equal to two dry cars FED IN
November or December. II the regular fields
be not convenient, II Is excellent practice 70
plant successive patches.of corn where 1t VIII
be convenient 10 feed SO as TO furnish ibis
kind of food rs long rs possible.
CollardS furnish very perfect form or food
and throughout very large part or the year.
They are also we'll adapted for all other Kinds
OF stock. They are not particularly fatten-
ing but afford the material in abundance for
developing the bony and muscular structure,
being, therefore, well suited for growing and
working animals.
Sorgh1m is almost equal to- corn as food for
hogs. 1t is easily and cheaply grown and by
successive paintings will supply FOOD from
July until frost.
Lucerne Is not eAcelled as q STOCK 1000 oy
anything that grows, and Is especially good
for hogs. 1t requires the very richest soil, but
n patch OF II, once we'll started, and annually
top dressed, will last for many years.
Now Is the time to push the hogs. Every
pig that Is now four months old or over lex
cept those kept for brceders) should be con,
verted into pork next winter. None shoulo
be fed through more than one winter II Prac-
tIcable to avoid it. The summer Is the time
to push their growth, and the fall and early
winter to lay on the fat the flesh that VIII NJ
them for the butcher Every farmer should
be able to have hog-head for his New Years
dinner. H. J' II.