The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1903-06-25
INSTITUTE
GENERAL SUMMARY OF THE SUB
JECTs DISCUSSED
Hog Raising-Hog Diseases-Dairying-
tuberculosis and stock Inspection
Profit in Poultry-Illustrated: Lecture
County Institute Society Organized.

1nkuCute SOClsty OTBdhieus
The Farmers Institute held here
Thursday and Friday of last week was
undoubtedly quite successful in the ac-
complishment of its principal object,
viz, to stimulate more active interest
in progressive agriculture, dairying
and stock raising aid encourage farm
ers to practically apply the most APP
proved modern methods of cultivation,
crop rotation, feeding, breeding, etc.
The attendance, though smaller than
it should have been, was fairly good
under the circnms ances, and the in
tense interest manifested by those who
attended leaves no room for doubt that
the results of the meetings Will be very
beneficial. The first meeting was he'd
at the court house shortly after 10
O'Clock Thursday, all the other meet
ings being at Odd Fellows hall. AT
the opening session Prof. Elliott, after
briefly stating the objects of the insti-
tute and the provisions of the law un-
der which they are held, gave very
interesting and instructive talk on
Hog Raising
He regards the hog as one of the
most profitable animals which the
farmer can raise and says that the
conditions are particularly favorable
for their production in this state, on
both sides of the mountains. While
the "corn-fed pork" of the northern
Mississippi valley states has obtained a
great reputation for excellence, which
is well deserved, Prof. Elliott is of the
opinion that no better pork can be pro-
duced anywhere than can be grown in
this state by the proper feeding of
wheat, or clover, peas and oats. One
bushel of wheat fed to well.bred hogs
should, he says, produce twelve pounds
of pork. In answer to a question as to
which he considers the most profitable
breed for the general farmer he recon-
mended the Berkshires on account of
their hardness and superior breeding
qualities. The Poland China he con-
siders the finest type of hog, but less to
be depended upon than the Berkshire.
The former are "the easiest keepers
and always fat, but do not grow 90
large as the Berkshires and the latter
will weigh heavier for their apparent
size." He does not believe in crossing
breeds and advises keeping only pure
bred stock. "You have given us the
bright side of hog raising in this state,
now what is the dark side?" someone
remarked, whereupon Prof. Elliott,
who, by the way, was for years a prac-
tcal farmer himself, quickly answered,
"there isn't any," a conclusion with
which DIR. Nelson, state veterinarian,
who followed him with talk upon
Hog Diseases,
does not altogether agree. Hogs, said
he, are subject to three diseases, viz,
hog cholera, swine plague and erysipe-
las, which though comparatively rare
and never, as yet, wide spread in this
state, do sometimes occur here and
wherever they do occur they are
serious menace. There have been
seven outbreaks of cholera in various
parts of the state within ten years, all
of them, Dr. Nelson believes, originat-
ing in imported stock, coming from
sections of the country where the dis
ease is of frequent occurrence. He does
not discourage importing thorough
bred stock=-quite the contrary in fact
but he says that all such stock should
be quarantined for thirty days and
that if no disease develops in that time
no further fear need be entertained.
He explained the difference between
hog cholera and swine plague and said
that the former generally attacks the
larger and older hogs while the latter
attacks the little ones. Cholera is an
intestinal disease while the plague is a
lung disease. Cholera will develop in
seven days. The cholera germ when
exposed to heat and wet will not live
over sixty days. The liberal use of
lime as disinfectart is recommended
and also the keeping of pigs as much
as possible in the open air at all times,
with shelter from storms and severe