Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1893-07-07
The I9ad9r.
/ NEW BONANZA.
How to Double the Price Of Wheat b;
Converting IL Into Hogs..

Converting II Into Hogs.
The following communication from the col
umus Of the ST. Paul Pioneer Press, may be In
teresting and OF some value to the farmers Of
Lincoln county. Read It and consider youi
own condition with reference to taking advant
age Of the information. If your wheat is worth
dollar bnshel in pork, don't sell it for Al
cents. q q
The low price of wheat and the tendency ia
still lower prices, seems to present an oppor
tune time to call the attention ofthe farmers OF
the wheat districts in Northern Minnesota and
the Dakotas, to the high price Of hogs.
At the present prices of hogs recent expert
ments seem to demonstrate that by fattening
hogs on wheat the farmer may realize more
than 81 per bushel for his wheat, now worth at
the farm 40 to SO cents and which after freight
has been paid to Minneapolis or Duluth, is
worth only about 62 or 63 cents. At present
prices, the largest car load Of wheat Q,OOo
bushels) in St. Paul, is worth only about s62O
while o car load of hogs Of the same weight
(8O, 600 lbs, " would be worth about %, $50.
The hog natures ut the age Of six to nine
months. Hence II 1t is trne thnt so cents wheat
when turned into pork becomes worth more
than 81 bushel, the business Of raising hogs
by the wheat farmer promises large profits
e = 3 = e 3 & "a 4
and quick returns. @
Now let us see what evidence there ts upon the
value of wheat for fattening hogs.
|s Upon this point the following statement hos
been made: A farmer iniOne Of the best corn
and wheat counties in Central Illinois was SO
reluctant the past season to sell his wheat at
the prevailing prices that he thought he would
try to convert it Into pork. He was greatly
pleased ut the result. He had %, 600 worth OF
hogs, and fattned them almost entirely on
wheat, using little corn. His method was
to soak the wheat in warm water twenty-four
hours before feeding. In cold weather he let
the water come to boil In the kettle and then
poured in the wheat and put out the hre
When in cooled it was soaked enough and
ready to feed, which he did Immediately. He
weighed the hogs before commencing to feed
and keep strict account Of the weights OF oil
grain fed, also figured the corn at 50 cents and
the tut hogs ut 1-2cents. Said he, the wheat
lust brought me 81 lOl per bushel.
From this statement it would seem that
wheat is worth elO1 per bAshel to feed when
hogs are worth 4 1.2 cents per pound. The pre-
sent price OF hogs in the ST.. Paul market Is 80
cents, which on the above basis would make
wheat worth 25 per bushel.
The writer is informed that during the last
x.
few months, "a full car LOADS of fat hogs have
been sold at the South ST. Paul market which
we're raised in Northern Dakota and fattened
entirely on wheat, sometimes fed Ia the man
ner pointed out by the Illinois farmer and
sometimes coverted into q rude graham -four
before feeding. The unanimous testimony OF
the raisers has been to the effect that by feed
ing, they had realized over 81 per bushel for
their wheat. The quality Of the product OF
such hogs is said to be superior to the product
OF the corn fed animals II this Is true, It
seems to open up the possibility to the wheat
farmers Of introducing to the markets OF the
world a brand Of American pork, which In time
would become Us famous as Minnesota hard
wheat, and like it command the highest prices
ana the best markets.
II Is certainly matter worthy Of considers
tion. "A. p. SiS SsicAncS.