Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1894-09-06
A NEW BONANZA.
Doubling the Price OF Wheat by Convert
Ing 10 Into Hogs.

| Doubling the Price OF wheat ny Convert
Ing 1t Into Hogs.
The low price of wheat, and the ten.
dency 10 still lower prices, seems 10
present an opportune time TO call the
attention OF the farmers Of the wheat
districts In northern Minnesota and
the Daltotas to the high price Of hogs.
At the present prices Of hogs recent
experiments seem 20 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 $1,000 bushels) In st. Paul Is
worth only about 5000, while car load
of hogs of the same weight 100000
pounds) would be worth $1,000.
The hog natures at the age Of six to
nine months Hence II 1t Is true that
60.cent wheat when turned into pork
becomes worth more than 81 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 corn and wheat counties in
central Illinois was 30 reluctant the
past season TO sell his wheat at the pre-
vailing prices that he thought he would
convert it into pork. lie was greatly
pleased at the result lie had 81, 900
worth OF hogs, and fattened them al
most on wheat, using little corn. His
method was tOsoak the wheat In warm
water twenty-four hours before feed
ing In cold weather he let the water
come TO boil in the kettle and then
poured in the wheat and put out the
fire. When 1t cooled 1t was soaked
enough and ready to feed, which he did
Immediately. lie weighed the hogs be-
fore commencing to feed and kept a
strict account Of the weights of all grain
fed also figured the corn at 35 cents
and the fat hogs at ~ cents. Said he:
The wheat just brought me $1.Ol per
bushel."
From this statement 1t would seem
that wheat is worth Sl.0l per bushel to
feed when hogs are worth ~ cents per
pound. The present price Of hogs in
St Paul market is SO cents, which, on
the above basis, would mako wheat
worth sl,25 per bushel
The writer is informed that during
the last few months twenty-four full
carloads of fat hogs have been sold at
the South st. Paul market which were
raised In northern Dakota and fattened
entlrelyon wheat, sometimes fed in the
manner pointed out by the Illinois
farmer and sometimes converted into a
rude graham flour" before feeding.
The unanimous testimony of the raisers
has been to the effect that by feeding It
they had realized over one dollar 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 farm
ers Of introducing to the markets Of the
world 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 a matter worthy OF
consideration. "A. b. Stickney.