The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-06-24

The hot weather Is a period of individual
torment to the hog that is obliged to go to
distant market, from the farmers pen in Or
der TO go through the process of having his
thoat cut. While it is not a question for
consideration by the representatives OF the
Humane society to how comfortably this
last Journey may be made for the hog, 1t IS
q question of direct concern to the shippers
in the way of dollars and cents. Just why
proper heed is not paid to some of the simp-
lest details of shipment is not clearly I'M
derstood by the on-looker. Why may not the
hog be shipped forward, in hot weather,
with some view to his comfort when the
fact must be recognized that he pays for
the attendance thus bestowed upon him by
holding on to his weight instead of develop
ing an abnormal degree OF shrinkage when
he passes TO the scales?
The fact has been noted by the writer
that except n few instances hogs continue
during the hot weather to arrive in the
yards in cars with six or eight inches OF ma
nure on the floor. apparently the collection
of an entire season. 1t is upon this mattress
that the hogs are shipped to market during
tbs neriod of hot days and nights. Now
every shipper certainly knows that this ma
nure quickly becomes heated, not alone from
the rays of the sun that may chance to fall
upon IL through the Stats of the car but from
the bodily heat OF the animals packed to-
gether upon It. 1t is inevitable that much
shrinkage must result. Besides, where the
hogs pass out of the cars, through the
chutes to the sale pens, they present
sorry appearance. Instantly their roughness
attracts the eye of the buyer and his bid is
made low accordingly. They may be Poland
Chinas, or Berkshires or Chester Whites or
everything else that is good. Give them the
natural smoothness which they carried with
them from the feed lot into the car at the
home OF the farmer and their very appear
ance commands higher bid. But over heat
ed and looking as unkempt as summer
tramp, they issue from the cars through the
chutes at the yards, painting like hound
at the end Of the hunt, and with an air OF
resignation to the death that awaits. II they
were reasoning beings land who can say
they are not? they would probably delight
in getting even with the shipper by losing
as much weight as possible before passing
to the scales. Now every shipper will agree
that this is not the proper spirit in which
even a hog should de!
II is a simple and an inexpensive und r
taking for every shipper to require to De
supplied with cars from which the winters
collection of manure shall have bsen re-
moved and to give the hogs bed OF dirt
or coal ashes, either or both or which are
available at any station on any ra lway curry
ing stock to this market. 1t is small nat
ter, but it means dollars and cents to the
shipper, to say nothing of the comfort to
the animal Dirt and ashes are alike COOL ng
II, after the floor of the car Is spr5 ad with
one or the other of these ingredients, water
shall be sprinkled over II in quantity SUI
ficient only to make 1t damp, without trans
forming il into mud slime. cool b2d
is provided. and the animals come forth a.
the end Of their journey much less fatlgued
and without any noticeable degree Of shrink
age Attention to even so sight deta as
this cannot fail of compensating the shipper
In every instance.