Wichita eagle., 1889-04-30
PIGS AND ALFALFA.
A Representative Among the Alfalfa
Fields Of Sedgwick County.

Since the EAGLE has called attention
to the value Of alfalfa as feed for hogs
there has been no little discussion of the
merits of this clover among the stock
raisers in the Arkansas valley. Hardly
a day passes that some farmer does not
make enquiry if alfalfa will really grow
here 1t is well established fact that
hogs can be proftably raised in Southern
Kansas. Our climate can not be eX-
celled, but farmers frequently remark
that our pastures are not good for hogs.
Prairie grass is not the thing, and red
clover has not proven success here.
There are thousands of farmers In South
ern Kansas who have many times
remarked, when feeding their hogs
in dry lots, that fortunes could be made
here raising hogs if we only had plenty
of good grass for our pigs.
1t was to supply this want that IN
duced the EAGLE to make enquiries of
farmers who had experimental with al
falfa in regard to its success; and only
after becoming thoroughly convinced
that it is of great value did we advise
our farmers 10 sow IL.
One farmer in Sedgwick county who
has tried alfalfa and become thoroughly
convinced that it is of great value, not
only for hay but for grazing hogs is W,
T. Jewett Hence when Mr.. Jewett and
his son, Judge E. B. Jewett, few days
ago, asked representative of this paper
to get into their fine carriage and ride up
to the "Jewett FARM fourteen miles
northwest of this city, the invitation
was promptly accepted. Sixteen years
ago the valley between the great and
little Arkansas rivers was level, grass
covered plain, sloping gently north from
the junction Of these two streams and
met the sky long way north of where
now flourishes the Peerless Princess.
1t is different now. 1t is all marked
over with fine farms, like a great
checker board. Hedge and wire fences
define the limits of the public
| highways on the section lines and en-
close many of the farms. On some OF
these farms blowing is being done for
corn, on others the corn is planted and
! the green rows can be seen for long
distance. 1t is supposed these latter all
belong to farmers who read the EAGLE
and believe in early planting. There
were great fields of oats with the ground
barely showing between the drills, and
other fields of wheat that are nearly
ready to head out. These stirred by the
gentle zephyrs rolled in waves ortwisted
in a1HiaC like miniature oceans
There were green pasture
fields in which herds of
of cattle contentedly grazed. Judge
Jewett called attention to the resem-
blance between some of the fine Jerseys
and the deer that in times past roamed
over these prairie5. Nearly every farm
house is surrounded by forest trees that
have been planted since 1872. Mr.. Jew
EFT remarked that there is a thousand
cords of wood in Sedgwick county now
to one sixteen years ago.
The Jewett farm consists of five hun
dred acres, the Big Arkansas river form
ing the west boundary. The farm Is
managed by Mr.. Albert Jewett, and
when the writer sat on the porch
Of the farm house surrounded
by great forest trees, mostly
cottonwood and maple, the thick foliage
of which quivered in the gentle breeze
and seemed to keep time to the songs of
birds, and sidped Mr.. Jewett's champaign
cider he mentally asked himself the
question, 'who would not like to be
farmer in sunny Kansas
In answer to the question how are the
pigs and alfalfa? Mr.. Jewett said the
pigs were all right when allowed to run
they had eaten up every spear of 1t until
the field looked as bare as the public
road At that time he had taken them
off, as he wanted to get some
hay and seed. Come and see it, he said,
and tell me if you think it will make
anything When we arrived at the al
falfa field the writer was dumfounded
and said, Now look here. Albert, you
have never allowed hog to run on this
clover and you have covered the ground
with Dold's blood fertilizer and you have
irrigated this land. We expected TO see
alfalfa, but what crop. 1t is from six
teen to twenty inches high and appar-
emily as thick as it can stand on the
ground. We walked not through it but
over it, and a couple of cOtton-tail rab
bits could hardly get through it fast
enough to keep from under our
feet. My sakes," said the judge, sup
pose every farmer in Southern Kansas
had twenty acres of alfalfa for hog
pasture instead Of feeding in dry lots,
how much money do you suppose they
would make? l hope the EAGLE Will
boom the alfalfa until it is growing on
every farm IN southern Kansas"
Albert Jewett took us over a twenty
acre lot that was seeded to alfalfa about
ten days ago and it was UP with two
leaves and splendid stand. Mr. jew
EFT says he wishes his entire farm was
seeded and set in alfalfa. He is of the
opinion that in the near future alfalfa
hay will be the only hay sold on the
Wichita market.
The Jewetts are corn-feeding l26 head
of cattle. They were dehorned and put
on feed in March. 4 good many people
regard this dehorning business as a cruel
practice, but Albert Jewett says their
cattle never lost feed after the opera
ton. 1t most certainly does improve
their appearance. Mr.. Jewett says they
will now stand up side by side at the
trough like sheep, while cattle with