The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-06-07
HOG STANDS ON ALL FOURS
WAR HAS CARRIED HIM TO THE
FRONT AS SOLDIERS MEAT
Growth of Hog Culture in the North
west--UnprOfitable Results From
the Breeding CT Scrubs-The
Value of Thoroughbred stock
Economical BASIS on Which Herds
May he Started.

Value of Thoroughbred stock
Economical BASIS on which Herds
May he Started.
The hog is Just at present one Of he most
interesting animals in the United States.
The war has carried him to the front, IL
orally speaking, and he is still gong in
that direction and is likely to continue going
so long as the war lasts. Orders for 4,VDo,eVO
pounds OF ham, bacon and SIDES were recently
placed by the government in single day.
A few weeks ago, the declaration of war
and the accompanying rise in the price of
provisions. caused hurrying of stock to
market. There was, apparently, double OBJ
iect in this first, a desire to take advantage
Of the improvement in price. and second, 20
lessen the consumption of ccrn in order TO
suupIy the market with that cereal at the
higher prices ruling. The natural result has
been experienced. According TO the Clncin-
natl Price Current of Thursday, June 2,
the Western killings for the week then end
ed amour. ed to only $4,000, against 55l,CGO
the week previous, and $4,000 two W eks
before. The increase for the season, howvr,
was 970.O00, compared with last year.
Just how the hog output in the Northwest
during the current year is going 10 show up
is still something of a conundrum. 1t ap-
pears TO be evident, by the receipts at the
Unicn sock yards that the log indus ry
within the territory tributory to this mark
Is being revived; and it is also apparent,
from an inspection of the herds as they
come along that the Berkshires and the
Poland China breeds are the favorites, as
they Justly should be. The one deterring
feature In connection with the hog ind Istry
during the past year was the existence OF the
cholera, especially in the southw s,ern per-
ton of the state. The high price of wheat
also has proved a temptation 10 soma farm
ers to raise hogs on a more limited scale
This is unfortunate. as is any abbreviati
OF the operations of diversified farming.
There IS no branch of live stock breed ng
which can be begun on so small an expen-
diture of money as that of raising good hogs
Too many farmers have, in the past, been
content to go on bringing forth scrub hogs
which Invariably give themselves away, 50
TO speak, soon as they reach the pens OF
the stock yards. The farmers who We
INDUCED in this practice have reason to be
dissatisfied with results from such under ak
ings. On the other hand, every farmer wh)
has paid attention to the Importance of good
breeding can bear testimony to the G. ify-
ing results realized.
The hog of poor breed, or to state 1t
more bluntly of no breed at all, will al
ways be poor hog, no matter how much feed
may be wasted upon him. He hasn't got
II in him to grow fat. But give the same
amount of feed to a Poland China a Berk-
shire, for instance, that allowed to the
scrub, and the former will return double the
Increase of the other. The feeding of in
ferior hogs cannot be made profitable under
any circumstances. The way to begin the
breeding of good hogs Is to begin right.
Some farmers think they have accomplished
all that is necessary in the beginning when
they have secured a thoroughbred boar. Now
that is really only one-half in the way of a
good beginning. There are some fairly good
common sows in all herds from which salts
factory results VIII follow cross of this
kind. Indeed, there are breeders who be-
lieve that better meat is secured by such
course of breeding. But an expert will
always assure you that when the beasts come
to market the mongrel will not size up with
the thoroughbred, that while the improve
ment is apparent, the perfection of quality
which, after ALL and more than weight COM
mands values, is lacking.
Any farmer can secure a thoroughbred
Poland China or Berkshire boar for from IS
to So and a for from SIS to $50. The
animals are quick and prolific in reproduce
ton. and values soon multiply. good
will yield at least two filters of from six to
eight pigs per year, and these can be pre-
pared for market in from eight to ten
months. The most popular weights are from
lS5 TO 200 pounds. The average weight of
those Oh the market yesterday was 1876
pounds and the average price was $3.50 per
100. This would bring the value of each
hog to approximately $3.50. Now, granting
that a sow Will yield but twelve pigs year
her return Will be upwards Of 500. 1t is
only fair TO say, however, that under favor
able conditions every SOW will yield $500 reye-
nue. from her offspring.
TIE views of practical men in the breed
Ing OF any class OF live stock afford the best
tests Tor all beginners in the industry A. D.
Maxwell, Of Iowa. writing to the Orange
Judd Farmer or The Practical Management
or Eogs," states the situation briefly and
concizeiy. He makes known his preference
in breed without hesitation. This is what
he says:
My fayorite breed is the Poland China.
These hogs are unexcelied as feeders conse-
qusnuy are ready for marketing at any time
the owner wishes to dispose OF them, provid-
cd, of course, they have the proper food and
care. l use nothing in my herd but full
blooded animals. Tie best l can get or am
able to buy is none too good. The sows are
prolific and excellent mothers, and l believe
are as well adapted to the marketing of lard,
The lard hog is the product of cheap feed,
the bacon or lean hog OF hlgh-priced feed.
Today our markets Pay more for the finished
than the unfinished article. Corn Is to &c
per blu means finished pork, at 40 to SOC I'M
lniIhed We have too much corn for our
hogs Give us better prices for our farm
products and the much talked-of bacon hog,
that at present does not bring as much as the
heavy hog, will be forthcoming.
My experience with hog cholera is quite
limited. Only twice have l had any swine
disease on my farm; In the first instance
fully one-half of the herd died. This no doubt
was the genuine hog cholera. Medicines were
OF no avail In the second case the disease
took on the form of swine fever The loss
slight fatality no doubt was due 10 the healthy
condition OF the animals at the time they
were attacked. Preventatives were fed and
sanitary measures observed. I have no faith
in any remedy used as a certain preventative
or chre-alL but there is no doubt that my
loss was much less on account of remedies
used. Inbreeding, overlooking and filthy
quarters are sources of disease
The pig should be given feeds that will de-
velcp as large frame as possible until he is
six months old, and then fed to attain the
weight that will bring his owner the greatest
returns. My experience has been that the
pig narrowed in March or April should be
marketed by January l, or at from nine to ten
months old. Fall pigs, as rule, do not reach
as great weight as spring at the same age
and can often be summered on grass and fed
out the next fall at u and 10 months old at
a profit.
The feeds used for growing pigs are plenty
OF grass, clover preferred, barley corn and
oats of equal quantities, ground and soaked
twenty-four hours before using For Stops.
bran shorts and middiings with a little OIL
meal constitute the mixture that has proved
the most satisfactory for either growing pigs
or fattening hogs.
Shelter is as necessary as feed. Ours Is
made after the ordinary plan used by the up
to-date farmer and breeder. 1t is built with
alley In center, feed room on north of alley.
feeding room on east end, sleeping pen on
south of alley. A plank floor is used through
out and the sleepifg room is bedded with
fresh straw as often it becomes necessary
70 Lean thern clear, and ali