The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1893-07-15
A NEW BONANZA FOR FARMERS
How to Double the Price of Wheat
by COnvertinK 1t Into Hogs.

How to Double the Price Of Wheat
by Converting 1t Into Hogs.
st. Paul, June, 1910 the Editor:
The low price Of wheat and the tend
ency to still lower prices, seems to
present an opportune time to call the
attention Of the farmers of the wheat
districts in Northern Minnesota and the
Dakotas, to the high price of hogs.
At the present prices Of hogs recent
experiments 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 GO or GO cents.
AT present prices, the largest q load
Of wheat Q,O00 bushels) in st, Paul,
is worth only about $500, while a car
load of hogs of the same weight Co.,
600 lbs), would be worth about $500.
The hog natures at the age Of six
to nine months. Hence If it is true that
so cents wheat when turned into pork
becomes worth more than 81 q bushel,
the business of raising hogs by the
wheat farmer promises large profits
and quick returns.
Now let us see what evidence there
is upon the value of wheat for fatten-
ing hogs.
Upon this point the following state
ment has been made: A farmer in one
Of the best corr and wheat counties In
Central Illinois was so reluctant the
past. season to sell his wheat.at the pre-
vailing prices that he thought he would
try to convert it into pork. He was
greatly pleased at the result. He had
$1,000 worth of hogs, and fattened them
almost entirely on wheat, using q little
corn. His method was to soak he
wheat in warm water twenty-four
hours before feeding. In cold weather
he let the water come to a boil in the
kettle and then poured in the wheat
and put out the fire. When it cooled 1t
was soaked enough and ready to feed,
which he did Immediately. He weighed
the hogs before commencing to feed
and kept a strict account Of the weights
Of all grain fed, also figurede the corn
at IS cents and the fat hogs at 41-2
cents. Said he, "the wheat just brought
me $1.O1 per bushel."
From this statement 1t would seem
that wheat is worth $1.01 per bushel to
feed when hogs are worth 4 IL cents
per pound. The present price Of hogs
in the st. Paul market is sc cents,
which on the above basis would make
wheat worth $1.25 per bushel.
The writer is informed that during
tn. last few months "a full al loads
Of fat hogs have been sold ut the South
st. Paul market, which were raised in
Northern Dakota and fattened entirely
on wheat, sometimes fed in the manner
pointed out by the Illinois farmer and
sometimes converted into a rude "gra-
ham four before feeding. The unan1-
nous testimony of the raisers has been
to the effect that ty feeding it, they had
realized over 81 per bushel for their
wheat. The quality Of the product OF
such hogs is said to he superior to the
product of the corn-fed animals. If this
is true it seems to open up the POSSIBLE
ity to the wheat farmers Of introducing
to the markets of the world O brand
of American pork, which in time would
become as famous as Minnesota hard
wheat, and like it command the highest
prices and the best markets.
1t is certainly q matter worthy OF con-
ddcration. "A. Il. Stickney.
BARLEY is said to be equally as good
for hogs as corn or wheat, n should
be fed in the same way. At South st.
Paul there is an unlimited market Tor
hogs, 100000 being required for this
years packing.-Editor.)