The gold leaf., 1893-12-07
Swine Breeding.
[The EpitOmist.]

1.-THE Epitomist.l
1t has been repeated many times
within the last few months that swine
raising is just now probably the most
profitable farm work that any one can
engage in. The price of hogs is very
high, while all grain is so low that it
pays in some instances to feed it to
the swine rather than sell it. In fact,
there are very few seasons when it does
not pay to feed some grain to the
hogs. They do SO much better by it,
with good interest.
1t is Dangerous, however, to enter
into new business in headlong haste
simply because just now it is paying.
Probably great number Of farmers
will begin to raise hogs on a larger
plan simply through the recommended
tion of the agricultural press. There
may be another season too many hogs
to make the business profitable. 1t is
just as we'll to 60 cautiously and not
abandon everything else with the idea
that swine raising is going TO pay all
of the bills.
Nevertheless, the writer has great
faith in swine raising, and when it is
properly conducted, there is good
money in it. There are seasons when
the margin of profits is small, but there
are other years when it is large. We
must average the profits for number
of years for any industry to determine
whether there is profit in the work.
This is the way with hog-raising. On
the average it pays we'll. There is no
disputing this and those who have
shown their faith in it by pursuing it
steadily year after year are reaping
the rewards this season. There is
more demand for hogs than the
farmers can supply, and this will con-
tinue for some time to come.
Good breeds of hogs must be raised
in order to find profit in the work. If
one will select these, and then study
the methods of feeding SO that we can
get the best returns for the cheapest
food, he is sure to find money in the
work when pursued regularly and
determlnedly year after year. The
very first year may prove disastrous
one, but other good ones will come.
This is true in every business, and it
is those who get discouraged and give
up that make the failures. They
generally fail in everything. We
have good breeds Of swine in the
Poland Chinas, Chester Whites, Duroc-
Jerseys, or Victorias, and there is
really little preference to be made.
They are generally good feeders and
good pork makers. The different
breeds have certain characteristics
which differ The Chesters, Suffolks
and Yorkshires are all predisposed to
fat; the PolandChinas, Berkshire and
Cheshire incline toward lean meats !;
the Jerseys are good for roughing it in
rough parts of the country, while the
Chesters are not so good for this work.
The Poland Chinas are good all
around hogs, and they are very popular
to-day.
When the breed is selected the
animals should be fed with variety
of food that will keep them healthy
and strong. For instance, in the
summer they need plenty of grass and
clover. One acre of good clover will
support seven full grown hogs, and
very little else need be given to them
in the hot weather. A little grain
added to this ration would help them.
In the winter they should be given
roots, potatoes, turnips, sprouts, hay,
small grains and corn. The latter
foods must predominant then, espe-
cially if they are being fattened fo,
market. The corn in fact is the
greatest heating and fattening food
but it is bad for the hogs except wher
they are being prepared for slaughter
Any intelligent farmer can follow W
this diet, and in the end he will fine
it cheaper than to feed the hog
almost exclusively corn and filth!
swill.