Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1891-10-30
HOG LORE.
Notes from the Experience of q Success
full Kansas Swine Breeder.

IL nhu6A6 S"lH0 orecuoTs
My first, Or starting point, is to get
the kind of hog wanted into my herd,
then breed it up by selecting a SOW to
suit my idea. which should be one of
medium length, with short, straight legs,
and standing firmly on her feet, deep
down the side and good breadth, unless
depth is sacrificed for breadth-small,
clean head. dish face, thin ear, broad
forehead and deep hams-or, as it is
sometimes spoken of fine wool sheep,
wool to the ~toenails. So the hog should
be built, quarters low down. In select
ing a sire. select one that has been driven
together with Il sledge hammer from all
points, or in other words, a low and
short rather than long body, heavy quar-
ters, with both top and bottom lines
good, hams and shoulders both we'll
loaded with meat. good jowl. between
the eyes and ears. Such hogs almost in
variably giye"soxe of these points to
their progeny. Hogs raised from the
described cross you will be able to sell
at any time you choose, if you give them
good care, us they are easy keepers, do
Gle, quiet and quickly fattened. They
will put on the most pounds of meat
from the same pounds of food of any
hog we have ever tried, and we have
tried nearly everything, from the "elm-
peeler" to the thoroughbred, but the
hardest m we ever tried to manage was
one of these double back action, gate
litter, nut cracker, apple grinder and
sodplow, all in one.
Care should be taken to see that they
are mated when you want them, and not
turned together at any time and trust to
luck to have the pigs come when you
want them. for luck is a hard master
unless you make him come to your terms
somewhat. The sows should be allowed
plenty of range, such as good clover
pasture, until about two weeks before
narrowing, when it is best to shut them
in a small pen, where they may be kept
quiet and have a good dry place, which
is very essential to the success of the
small pigs. Give a small quantity of
fine dry straw for bedding, feed but little
corn the first week, after which you may
give her a liberal supply, but see to it
that she has plenty of good rich slops,
such as bran, shorts or milk.
You may wean the pigs at from 6 to
8 weeks old if you will give them plenty
Of the kind of food described. Never
feed a pig very heavily on corn before
he is 6 months old. We prefer clover OF
rye pasture, with good rich Stops and a
small quantity Of corn. You will thus
get good bone and muscle, after which
you may put on the extra fat. AS to the
time of breeding, each must settle that
for himself. We prefer to have pigs
narrowed in March and September. The
March pigs will start right off, as there
is not likely to be any more cold weather,
and they will be ready for market by
January or February. II you take good
care of your September pigs they will be
ready for market by the list of June, if
they run after cattle. You can keep
them on pasture the next summer and
put them in a small pen with a good
floor about the LIST of September for two
months, and have fine hogs at 10 or 13
months old with two months feeding;
or, by crowding when taken from the
cattle, in considerable less time.