The Forrest City times., 1898-07-01

Growing Meat For the Markets-The
Farmer Who Raises Five-Ceat Cotton
and buys His Meat Cannot Prosper.
Z. L. Bennett, director of the Arkan-
sas Agricultural Experiment Station,
1t Fayetteville, has the following arti-
Gle on Pork as Money Crop in the
South in the Southern Farm Maga-
zine:
When the southern farmer is grow
ing cotton at loss and buying almost
all tho pork that he consumes from the
north and west, it seems ridiculous to
say that pork is good money crop for
the south. But in spite of these condi-
tions, pork is good money crop, and
by request this article is to recount an
experiment in pork production that
shows considerable profit.
There are two reasons why pork is
not produced in the south as a mar.et
crop. First. the lack of knowledge of
how to produce it profitably; second,
the lack of knowledge of how to market
1t. The second reason is an obstacle
that stands in the way of the southern
farmer growing beef, mutton and pork.
But its removal is in the simple infor-
nation to ship the products-ship to
large cities where there are packing
houses and consign to some reliable
commission house in the markets. If
the grower has not car load he can
combine with a neighbor to make one,
either of sheep, hogs or cattle.
The cotton farmer regrets his ina
bility to grow pork, because corn is too
expensive to feed hogs. There seems
to be little thought of feeding other
and cheaper foods, and still less of the
practice. The experiment in question
was made at the Arkansas experiment
station by the writer to determine.
1st. The adaptability of different
crops in succession for hogs.
I'd. The cost of 10-month pigs on
food gathered by themselves from soil
of known fertility.
| Sd. To ascertain a system of grow
ing pigs for pork with q minimum
quantity of corn.
A grade of Poland China sow that
had farrowed three litters Of pigs was
bred to thoroughbred Berkshire boar,
and on March 3 she farrowed five pigs
three sows and two boars All five of
these pigs were used together in the
all food consumed by the sow while she
remained with the pigs.
The soil was q worn sandy loan, de-
ficient in vegetable matter, and would
produce about 25 bushels of corn in
good season. All foods except the
sorghum were gathered by the pigs
from small areas confined by movable
fence. AS often as the crops were
closely grazed the pigs were moved to
a new area. Small confined plots were
used to determine the total area used
of each crop. This close grazing acted
to some extent against the pigs attain
ing greater weight.
The several foods that were grown
to test their adaptiveness for feeding
were rye, red clover, sorghum, sweet
potatoes, alfalfa, Spanish penuts, oats
and cowpeas OF these crops red
clover, alfalfa, sorghum and Spanish
peanuts were the best; they came to
maturity for feeding in succession,
were the cheapest to grow and more
certain of yields than the others. The
alfalfa was not used in the trial for
lack of sufficient area. but q small plot
adjoining the others was noted; it's
growth was earlier and remained well
up to the time that sorghum was ready.
| With red clover there was a short pc
riod between it and sorghum. Alfalfa
has another advantage in being perma-
nent for several years when properly
cared for The pigs gathered all these
foods except sorghum, which was cut
and carried to them. The feeding-time
began when the pigs were farrowed,
and continued ten months, from March
| 3 to January 8. The SOW and pigs
were kept on clover pasture and fed
some grain from March to May l3
On the latter date the sow was taken
from the pigs and out of the expert
ment. The clover was in its second
year and was grazed twice by the pigs.
Sorghum feed was begun July % and
continued until September 81, when
the pigs were put on peanuts. The
peanuts were ready for feeding earlier.
but it was desired that the pigs should
grow instead of fatten, especially as
the weather was warm. Peanuts were
crazed from September 81 to Decem-
Der g. After the latter date, for thirty
days they were fed corn. because an
occasional freeze of a few days would
have prevented them from getting the
nuts and have interfered with the ex-
pertinent. But in farm practice the
pigs need corn only during the intervals
while the ground is frozen. A little
corn for few days before the pigs are
10 be slaughtered will produce the
corn-fcd pork, with hard lard and we'll
favored meat Whether the lard would
not harden and the pork be as we'll
favored without the final few days
corn feeding will be determined this
fall IN an experiment that is now be-
ing made.
The weight Of the pigs at slaughter