Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1901-03-19

A farmer living near the coast where
fish are abundant is buying large quan'
titles of Goldfish heads to be used fol
fertilizing the land, and asks If it would
be advisable to use such material a;
food for swine; he has boiled few OF
the heads and made sort of soup for
his poultry, but is not well pleased with
results.
There is a prejudice against the free
use of fish as poultry feed, as it is said
to impart fishy taste to the eggs pro-
duced. | have had no experience in
feeding fish soup in any large quantity
to either fowls or swine, but the fact
that so many persons condemn it is pre-
sumptive evidence that there is some
foundation for the general opinion on
the subject. There is also prejudice
against the free use of cabbage and tur-
nips for cows in milk, but many farmers
do use these vegetables with satisfaction,
and when judiciously fed they make a
good and profitable food. | have no
doubt that fresh fish waste might be so
prepared and fed as TO be worth some
thing as food for growing swine. Given
as proposed with cooked beets, turnips
and some corn meal the swine will
doubtless thrive well. 1t is not improb-
able that it would be well TO finish OIL
with corn meal the last few weeks before
slaughtering. just how long it would
be necessary to feed the meal clear or
without the fish before killing is ques-
ton to be answered by experiment.
The same farmer asks IL there is not
considerable profit to be obtained from
raising pigs for sale as soon as weaned,
getting two litters year from each SOW
swine kept wholly on purchased grain
have brought him little profit thus far
except in adding to the value Of the man
ure pile under the bare stables. Like
every other branch of farming the rails
ing of pigs for sale requires practical ex-
perience. | know of farmers who have
made practice of keeping a half dozen
or more breeding sows and male for
this special purpose and with very salts
factory results, while others have made
almost total failure. Some sows de-
yelop into very good mothers, being kind
and easily handled and yielding a good
flow of milk, while others prove as
worthless as ones worst enemy could
wish. 1t is just this uncertainty that
makes good pigs bring more than they
cost when all things are favorable.
Raising young stock is always pleas
ant occupation for one who likes it, and
those who do like it are the ones who
usually learn the business most thor
nughly and secure the best results. L
have not much confidence in the theory
held by many that hogs pay large
profit on their keeping on account OF the
work they do in roofing over pile OF
manure. Whatever manure Is added TO
the pile by the swine is so much gain,
but do not think that the roofing it
over is much Of an addition TO its value.
do, however, know that horse manure
that is kept well trOdden down by heavy
hogs so that fermentation Is prevented,
or kept we'll in check, is of much more
value than if left in light pile to fer
ment till the moisture and nitrogenous
portions are all driven of. There must
be very few farms of much size where it
would not be profitable to keep a few
swine 10 consume what would otherwise
be waste material, such as inferior fruit
and vegetables. To what extent the busi-
ness can be carried on upon any given
farm must ever be question for individual
Judgment. Some men really hate hog,
while others will linger in their CON-
pany, watch them while eating and seem
to have an almost brotherly feeling for
their four-footed companions. | esteem
it nothing against man that he admires
good thrifty aud neighbOrly sort of
hog w. Cheever in New England
Farmer.