Newport daily independent., 1903-04-13
AND PLANTER.
HOG NATURE AND ITS NEEDS
Matters to be Considered in the Raising of am Important Por-
 ton of. Our Meat supply.

Raising of an Important Por-
 ton of Our Meat Supply. The hog can hardly be c1assed as an attractive animal m name, nature or appearance, but it has put more struggling farmers and stoclmen on their financial feet than any otEer domestic animal raised in our coun- try.
 The nature and well-being of the hog are less understood, and consld- cred, too, than is the case with other stock, resulting from tke mistaken idea that the hog can endure all kinds of treatment and yet thrive. Very few of the millions annually raised are spoiled with kindness, but much the greater proportion have too much of the s'root, hog, or die" treatment
 The greatest foes to the well-belng of the hog in the more northern DOT tions of our country are cold and dampness. The hog and human faml- lies are quite similar in at least one respect, which is their need Of warmth and ai dry, comfortable bed when at rest The hog, coming orig inally from hot climate, is still as unprotected by his scant, bristly GOV ering as ever. In fact, the brlsties have been bred off instead of cn, there now being but little between his skin and the weather on we'll bred hog.
 The few hogs previously referred to that are too carefully coddled and
  cared for are apt to be found among breeding stock. The brood sow and boar should above all others be re- quired to take plenty of outdoor ex- ercise, to insure hardness and vital ity, so essential for transmission to the progeny. To secure such fitness of physical condition it IS not neces- sary to expose them to storms and compel them to root up acres of ground to secure their living, but it is quite necessary that they spend considerable portion of each day "rustling" for part of their food in- stead of becoming fat and fabby in closely -confining, ill-smelling pens.
 Like man, the hearty hog cares lit tie for cold and stormy weather while he is in motion, feeding and exercis- ing, but his bed must be dry and pro- tected from drafts and cold, or the effects will be rheumatism, chills, fever and general unthriftiness, if not serious disease itself.
 Many swine breeders and feeders are aware that it is possible to grow young, well-bred, healthy pigs to live weight of two hundred and fifty to three hundred pounds at an age of six or seven months by intensive feed ing, the best of care and close con- finement; but if the growth-forcing is continued much longer, there is re- action and liability to disease that will interfere with the profit. Even by this method of feeding for early maturity the chances for success are much surer when the sucking pigs and breeding sows have been allowed unlimited exercise, thereby laying in a reserve stock of bone and nerve force, to help carry them through the strain of heavy feeding and close con- fnement later on.
 During the cold winters and hot summers of the northern and middle sections of our country the hog re- quires protection from both extremes to obtain the best results The prac- tice of pilng up to obtain warmth where numbers run together IS re- sponsible for much injury and dis ease by the. overhcating resulting. There is often quite as much loss oc- casioned by lack of protection from summer heat as from winter cold. The hog in a state of nature will camp near water course or bog hole dur ing the heated season, where, when occasion requires, he will cool and cleanse himself, and at the same time provide himself with fly screen of mud.
 The writer has found that hog run containing such natural or arti- ficial wallows of pure water and un- contaminated mud makes very para disc for hogs during hot summer days. and increases the thrift, growth .yand profits materially. Especially are 6& the breeding sows that are to far >NTow during the heated season bene- fted by clean, fresh wallows. Many valuable animals and their filters are lost every year before and at farrow- ing time that might easily be saved if cool, clean wallows were within their reach.
 The importance of feeding and breeding of swine is not to be under estimated, but their housing and com wort are of even greater importance, since the expense for the first goes for naught unless their physical com fort is also provided for.-B. F. w.. Thompson, in Farm and Preside.
 crrr crrr7rr1ory Or1 CErDC