Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1889-08-30

which destroyed their pigs in the spring,
to make the best of mothers in the sum-
mer when fed on grass In The spring
they were feverish and made frenzied by
their physical condition; while in the
summer by the cooling and succulent
character Of the grass they were Ia per
feet condition for the ordeal of bearing
young. Feeding vegetables has a similar
effect, and when sows have these regularly
they are always sure 10 do well. Fruits
are also natural foods fO- swine, and sows
will do we'll if fed nothing but apples.
In the summer hogs should always be on
the earth and given q chance to root.
When it is known that all these cheap
foods are so natural and healthful for
swine, it seems strange that 50 many far
mer8 persist in keeping their hogs, the
year round, on grain. An acre of sweet
corn, fed stalks and all, will 90 a long
way toward fattening a lot of hogs.
Sorghum is also excellent. Weeds are
allowed to go to seed, for extra w~rk the
next year which would make excellent
pork. Here is a maxim: The cheapest
foods make the best pork. The reason
is, it is the leanest. Lean pork then be-
ing the best, we should try TO make it.
Confinement in pens tends to increase the
fat. Exercise develops the muscles.
The muscular part is the best food. The
fat is largely waste. We make fat to
throw ii away. People buy hams, not
for the fat but for the lean. When the
fat is wasted it makes the lean cost Just
50 much more. Reduce the fat and in
crease the lean.
Can this be done? Certainly. In this
way: Keep the pigs al! their lives in the
pasture. Feed skim-miIk and bran.
Keep corn away from them. Give them
vegetables and apples with the bran.
When the bodies or frames are grown,
give them oat meal or rye, ground entire,
mixed with bran, putting in twice as
much bran as rye. Keep up the vegetable
and apple diet and allow them during this
time to eat all the grass they will. A
little corn may be fed toward the end.
Pork made in this way will have
more lean, and will be tender and juicy
At Kirby Homestead, with our breed of
hogs, and using turnips, we have pro-
duced hams seventy-ive per cent. lean.
The fat is something more than mere lard
animal oil. 1t is meat, with the sub
stance and grain of meat. To get such
pork is worth trying for, as it is in de-
mand. The sausage and the other food
products made from such pig meat are
in quality and taste. There is
tenderness and flavor which enhances the
value. Pigs should no be fed so much
or gorged to such an extent that they will
not go out into the pasture. An active
pig will make better meat than helpless
One-made so by lack of true muscle and
vigor. 1t is advisable to plant apple
trees for early ripening, in order to give
the pigs a start. Fifty trees of this kind
have been set this year at Kirby Home
stead, including twenty early harvest,
Apples do not make fat pork, but they do
make plenty of lean meat, and that of
extra quality. Pumpkins can be utilized
in the same way. Gradually the require
ments of consumers for more lean pork
will open the eyes of farmers to the fact
that the consumers are right and we will
have less of the greasy, indigestible
animated lard tubs called ''early matured
pork" "The most weight in the short
est time" is heresy which has broken
down lots Of American stomachs and set
thousands of people against pork. There
is 10 animal on the farm which can be
turned to better account than the hog to
utilize wastes and cheap foods, and as a
factor for enriching the farm. For a
steady diet give the pigs grass.