The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1888-11-21
Experience In Raising Swine.
Ruraf Homo

Next 10 sHeep stand swine III I'M
portance TO the farmer. large or small,
bringing in the quickest returns for
the least outlay OF capital. Though
swine cannot be sborn. or il they are,
there is much cry and little wool, yet
the increase is about 20 times as much
per animal, TO say nothing OF higher
price pig brings than a lamb. the
greater ease with which they are raised,
and their immunity from destruction
BY dogs. ii will appear that swine take
high rank as money producing stock
in husbandry. A person has only to
trail 4 Erie and witness the immense
freight trains loaded with live hogs,
to see what prominence swine hold in
the agriculture OF the land. And this,
too. In spite of the laws of Msses and
the sad history of the Prodigal Son,
who by his dissipation reduced him
self to the condition OF swine-herd,
the lowest OF all occupations in those
DAYS, but the prodigal sons OF our
time who go West. get rich like Philip
Armour, do not return home footsore
and in rags. but visit the old home
stead in palace car Dressed in their
best, able 20 paw for feast of roast
pig or veal, aud no thanks to the
elder brother.
Near a growing city like Rochester,
where there are so many working men
who have homes of their own. moth
ing pays better than raising pigs for
market and In winter time the de-
mand always exceeds the supply, 50
many househoiders finding 1t good
economy 20 buy faited pig n farm
erS are in the habit of doing, the
slaughter house product being oblec-
tionable. No animal answers more
readily 10 special care or Is more natur-
ally cleanly, active and healthy than
I the hog, only give him a chance. He
does not kick or hook, needs no curry
ing; all be asks is a place 10 root and
stretch and grow in, and pool 10 cool
oil In during the heated term, No
vermin, or Scah, or foot-rot infest
swine, and II cholera attacks them, il
| Is HE fault OF the owners. To keep In
stock the hog, by reason OF his repro
ducfve power, exceeds al other ami
mails
We call 10 mind that one OF the old
pioneers OF Western New York said 10
Us lately that when he settled here 80
years since he went TO a neiehhaFs and
bought sow pig for n dollar, brought
IL home under his arm. and that he
had never been out OF good stock OF
hogs on his farm or pork in the bar
rel. and that was the only hog he ever
bought.
As an investment we remember OF
buying a Suffolk SOW pig, for which
we only paid dollar, Tor il was the
tittnan OF large litter and did not
have much Of a chance. We took il
home, gave il extra care, and II was
wonderful how il grew. short-nosed,
good-natured, an easy keeper and pro-
life breeder, she proved 10 be an ami
NAL giving both profit and pleasure
In looking back we see no investment
We ever made make equal returns for
the outlay, and when slaugh
tered we felt il was like killing the
goose that laid the golden eggs, that
we SO early consigned such a hne
breeding SOW 10 the butcher. If We
had only laid ont every dollar we
have earned as senSibly Is in this in
stance. we might have been as rich rs
CroSes or Armour. We have noticed
that pork producers. a. class, are
steady and resolute men and good pay
masters. We have known many ru-
iued who made cattle and sheep a
speciality, and others who were horse
POOR. bat farmer who made prOdCc-
ing pork a leading pursuit has never
las far a. our observation has gomez
failed. The only breeds that we
choose TO have ANYTHING 10 do with
are the Chester Whites. the Suiiolks
aud the Cheshlres. We are now trying
the last named. Somehow or other
We are preiuiieed against the black
hog altogether. Neither is looks 70
our eve. nor the taste Of the meat, be
ing agreeable 10 rs.
In the use Of pork We believe IN
moderation. partsking Of il mostly in
the winter, needful a a lung feeder
IN our northern climate ana as Tor the
rest OF the year, We prefer fish. beef.
poultry and eggs Though not
writing az or down any breed 81
swine. either black or white. vet in our
experience we have been better
pleased. 50 far. with the Susiolks and
Cheshires a. they are less liable 20 be
hreSehy or ugly, 10 say nothing Of
their beauty ana tine breeding quail
tiles