The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-01-20
Letters to The Editor.
Hog Raising With q Minimum d,
Corn

- ~~-9 vs@SSA - &E4&4A4nk0A1 UX
Corn.
1.. Auburn. Ala, January IL, 1903.
Eoltor The Advertiser:
l have read with great interest two ar
ucles which have recently appeared In
your columns In regard to pork produc-
t,on IN Alabama thoroughly agree with
~. me posiuon taken in your editorial that
the failure OF mast is not a good excuse
Tor dispensing with hogs on the farm, In
the other article Judge Carmichael has
nnanswerabiy demonstrated the correct
ness ts Or your position In showing that on
me state convict farm large numbers of
hogs have been raised without the feed
Ing -Uf any corn. -.
I wish to add the testimony Of careful
kept records showing some Of the re-
SUITS OF the numerous experiments which
1 nave conducted on the Experiment sta
uon at Auburn to determine the value of
an acre OF the crops that can be made to
answer as entire or partial substitutes for
corn. Even complete summary of the
results would require too much space. FOR
demonstration Of the profit in raising
nogs has seemed to me OF such general
Importance, that the experiments have
oeen many times repeated and have dealt
with the profitable utilization as hog food
OF considerable number of crops. Full
details are given In Bulletin No. 122 Of this
experiment station which am now send
ing to the printer with the hope that he
may have 1t ready for distribution within
month. Copies of this and of suisse
quent bulletins may be had free upon ap-.
plcation to President c. c. Thacr
Inc growth of shoats subsisting entire
y on Spanish peanuts rooted up by the
animals mas averaged in three expert
ments Bl pounds for acre Of peanuts
grazed. At present prices, cents per
pound gross. this give us $l406 as the
average value Of an acre of Spanish pea
nuts. when converted into pork
The results have been still more IN.
vorenle when to the shoats on peanuts
mas been fed q little grain, from one
fourth 70 one-half as much as they need
wnen hVing exclusively on grain. II we
assume. according to average results of
numerous experiments. that 1t usually
REQUIRES about Ave pounds of grain (un-
assisted by pasturage etc. to make one
pouna OF growth with shoats, we may
ing power OF an acre of hog crops" In
TINS way We get from our experiments
the following average figures, represent
ing the value OF an acre of peanuts, ETC.,
exclusive of such growth as may have
oeen due to the grain fed.
In seven experiments the average net
amount OF growth of shoats per acre of
Spanish peanuts was S3s pounds. worth at
present prices Sos. In two experiments
the average net amount of pork on foot
per acre of chufas has been SO7 pounds.
worth $15.35.
In two experiments the net returns from
an acre OF cowpeas have averaged 20
In two experiments we obtained I74
pounds Of growth, worth $50 as the net
returns from an acre of sorghum.
In three experiments with Dwarf Essex
rape the growth of live pork attribute to
any acre of this crop was Ae3 pounds Of
pork worth $23.15
1t is to rape. vetch and some Of the
newer plants suitable for hog food that
l wish here to call special attention be-
cause they are available In winter and
because rape may be sown like turnips
late in March and afford excellent hog
paSturage in May and June.
| At Auburn have pastured pigs on rape
(sown In October) from the middle of De-
cember to the middle Of April and from
a second sowing In March have had pas
| turage in about two months The seed
briefly given In our Press Bulletin No. IL,
| which will be sent on application.
| Why should Alabama farmers be conf
| PEELED to buy their bacon In the West
| when we have available hog crops for
| the hogs to root UP or Craze over during
nearly every month In the year. as fol-
| lows.
March, April and May-vetch mixed
Bermuda sod.
May and June, spring, sown rape. be-
sides the usual well known pasture plants.
July to November, sorghum and cow
peas.
September October and November, pea
nuts. sweet potatoes. cowpeas and sor-
ghum.
December and January. fall sown rape
| and chufas.
We have found It usually advisable to
feed a little grain with most of these
| crops and a number of our tests show
that other grains are often cheaper than
corn.
To the list of plants which we have
| proved to afford profitable returns in
pork expect to be able to add a number
Of others, as alfalfa, artichokes. sofa
beans. kaflr, crimson clover. etc. First,
| however, many further experiments, al
ready planned or begun. should be made
| to determine the relative values of these
| plants as hog foods under varying condi-
tions and their suitability to the widely
divergent soils Of the different parts Of
| the State. J. r. Duggar