The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1895-01-23

that brings her to the time of narrowing in
the best possible condition, and almost al
way insures success. 1t has taken
long time to learn what this should be,
and We do not claim that we learned it
from personal experience, nor do we claim
that we know it all yet, but we do know
that we have more than. the average sue
cess. Now some farmers are constrained
to think that personal experience is more
valuable than any other. This may. in a
sense. be true, but, as a rule, 1t costs too
much, and often takes too long to get 1t.
SCHOOL OF EXPERIENCE.
Had we not given much time to reading
and studying the experience of other farm
ers, some of our mistakes would probably
have never been corrected. The force of
habits, as regards thought and action are
so strong with us that, unless thrown into
different direction by the thoughts and
actions of others, we are apt to continue
| in the same way to our loss mentally and
| financially. This is applica BILE to pig grow
| ing well other farm work. During
| the summer time that is in farrow
| has her food direct from nature we may
! say, and lives without the special atten-
| ton, daily, of her owner-her food being
| principally grass, she gathers as nature de-
| mands During the winter months she
| must depend almost daily on the hand of
her owner, and subsstS under adverse con-
| ditions. During the summer clover and
other grasses furnish just what she needs
| to build against the day of maturity-not
| only for herself, but for the young she
| carries. Now how is it in the winter life
| of the average brood SOW? She finds all
| things in the most unatural condition. The
| food she receives is rich and concentrat ed
! lacking in bone and muscle forming prop
| critics, requiring but little time and exer-
| else in consuming them. II there is an
| thing that brood SOW needs, and should
| have, it is plenty of exercise. Not the kind
| n pyarciSe taken hppanSe 10 nuclx-
| hungry. but such as is taken to secure a
| satisfactory ration without due haste, and
| such as is prompted by perfect health
! Inaction is poor promoter of digestion.
| OUTDOOR EXERCISE.
We have kept our sows over winter in
| the feed lot at the barn. We fed corn as
q part ration, shelled and scattered over
| the corn stalks and other refuse in the
| lot. The other stock-cows and horses
! We're fed corn, bran, clover hay, and fod-
| der. Under this general treatment the
sows did well, being taken to over
| come any tendency to constipation by feed
ing turnips at irregular intervals and
sometimes feea~of sor composed largely
| Of bran. We did this because we were
| limited for field range Their pigs always
| did we'll and made rapid growth, but the
| treatment of the sows was not our ideal.
| they would not grow large frames as
sows having the run of pasture fields and
wood lands. Having learned this to be
| true, we aim to give sows all the
| range possible. AS we have no timber
range our ideal is clover sod to be plow-
| ed the next spring. We do not want sOws
| to have the run of clover fields that are to
| grow pasture or hay the next summer, for
| the reason that they will destroy much of
| the clover by pulling it up and eating top
| and root This is not loss on fields that
are to be plowed the next spring. Where
| the clover growth is all killed by freezing
| the blue grass along the fence lines will
| always furnish a green bite. We feed our
soWs part ration of corn each day-not
sufficient to satisfy their cravings. OF
| course there is always a struggle on the
part of each one to secure the lions share
and in their haste they swallow many OF
| the grains whole, which leads to the dis
gushing and filthy habit of roofing over
| their weddings for these whole grains. Tc
| DO away With this, the corn should be
shelled and scattered over the grass sward
IN the field This compels slower eating
and more perfect masticaton. When the
| sows are in the feed lot at the barn, we
Iced shelled corn scattered over the corn
| stalks, straw and waste hay, compelling
| them to take exercise while gathering il
up.
| USEFUL IN THE BARNARD.
They also serve us another turn by root
| ing over the coarse material and fining it
| reducing it to the best shape to go to the
| held at an early date manure. We al
Ways take care 10 nave the SoWS tree from
all tendency to constipation narrowing
time approaches With this precautior
we have no fears of difficult and dangerous
| parturition. A that is constipated is
| liable to destroy her pigs as soon as they
are born. SOW that is in good health
| and flesh will range over the grass fields
| many unpleasant days during the winter
| In fact 1t often requires bitter cold wealth
i er to restrain her in shelter all day Sows
| should always have salt in reach, where
they can go to it readily. 1t is much better
to have it mixed with wood ashes. The
more charcoal in the ashes the more the
sows will relish it, If wood ashes cannot
be had burn corn cobs till perfectly
charred. and sprinkle salt over them. The
soWs need good supply Of something tc
make bone-they find this in wood and
cob ashes. But they never find this prop.
erty in bituminous coal; this latter tends
to constipation.