Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-03-31
VALUABLE FEEDS FOR HOGS.

AS the result of an effort put forth by the
Fort Worth GAZETTE to get our faPmers on
the right track for raising more hogs and
cheaper ones, many farmers here will begin
this spring with renewed energy in that
business. Believing that many VIII not be
able to do much more this season than get
4 start in the new hog-feed crops proposed,
and also that many others will wait for the
seed to become more plentiful and cheaper,
1 have concluded to say few words
through your paper relative to the planting
of sorghum and alfalfa as hog feeds. OF
course, all our people know what sorghum
is, and it is probable that most of them I'M
derstand the species OF clover known as
alfalfa or lucerne.
Sorghum has made itself a favorite with
all who have tried it as stock feed, but
don't think It's value as a hog feed,
specially, is so generally underst God. I
have planted it five or six years for my
hogs. and have found it the best hog feed L
am acquainted with, all things considered,
for it requires less land and labor to pro-
duce a given amount of feed than any
other cultivated crop. Hogs relish it and
keep healthy and growing on it. They re-
quire but little other feed when fed on
sorghum. plant an acre or SO near my
pens, drilling IL in rows about twenty
inches apart, making three paintings of
the ground-March, May and July. By
thus planting secure good, juicy feed for
my hogs about six months of the year. l
begin feeding on the first planting when it
is foot or SO high. which is usually from
middle to last of April. Hogs relish it at
that age, and do nearly as well on it yas
when it is ripe. With lot of five acres
set to alfalfa for fall and early spring
pasture, and few acres in sorghum, hogs
may be raised at comparatively little ex-
pense.
regard alfalfa as one of the best paying
a IN n
land. 1t is certainly a splendid success in
this portion of Texas, making a most
luxurious pasture for all stock. and an
especially fine grazing pasture for growing
hogs. find that the hogs devour it greedily,
and its rapid growth keeps them well sup
piled. 1 have never yet known of any
crop that would furnish more green feed to
the acre. 1t beats any of the grasses,
furnishing an abundance of green feed
when nothing else is green. If stock is.
kept of for couple of months it will grow
a good hay crop of the finest quality of hay
hay fully equal to any grown in the
Eastern states.
Both of these crops are entirely hardy,
requiring but little rain to make heavy
yields, and they are crops that may be ever
relied on. 1 think if persons desiring to
raise hogs would try these crops they
would be highly pleased with the results.
And every farmer might have the benefit
VI bltI1 ILLS year IL NC NOulu AL uCGQGO
is to take hold now. The seed could be
easily secured at small cost. March is
the best time for seeding alfalfa. TTo.mid-
die of April would do.-ED. Six quarts of
seed to the acre will, 1 believe, aim ost in
sure good stand, though some favor so
much as peck. I would prefer seeding on
clean land and giving the crop the full oene-
fit of all the growth it can make the first
year.
Hogs may be raised cheaply with these
crops and little corn. And mil When
we get start in artichokes, chufas, pea
nuts, ETC., won't we have clear sailing for
the hog industry in Texas!
will come again with something add
tonal on sorghum. The half in its favor
has not yet been said. J. A 3.
Dublin, Tex.
Such letters from practical farmers are
always of special interest to Texas agri-
culturists..in general, for they tell of what has
been done, and, of course, of what may be
done again,