The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1906-04-10
HOG RAISING N THE SOUTH.
Some Valuable Data from the De-
partment Of Agriculture Which 5
is Of Interest to All South
# Carolina Farmers.

i f, -
The News and Courier has received.
from Mr.. H. Benton, the assistant ag-:
riculturist of the United States de-
partment Of agriculture, the following
interesting paper relating to the rails
ing of hogs in this section of the
country: !
; During the past few month 1 have
had the pleasure Of visiting several
southern farmers who are making
hog raising profitable. This valuable
adjunct to the farm has been too
much neglected. The hog should be
one Of the farmers most profitable
products, since he is capable of con-
verting the waste from the dairy and
stock pen and waste products of all
kinds into pork, bacon or lard.
The practice of raising hogs OH corn
alone cannot result in much profit,
certainly not until the yield per care
is greatly increased. 1t is known that
Bermuda and Dallas grasses, (Paspa-
lum dilatatum,) Japan clover, and OH
good land alfalfa, furnish excellent
pasturage for hogs over a large por-
ton of the South from May l to-
December 1, and will last for years.
Rye, rape, crimson and burr clovers
and turnips will furnish temporary
grazing during the remainder Of the
season, if the hogs are changed from
one pasture to another every few days.
Over the greater portion Of the south
sorghum is the best plant to grow
for supplementing any shortage that
might occur i'll summer pasturage. The
cowpea, peanut, mangold, citron,
pumpkin, sweet potato, chufa and
Jerusalem artichoke will furnish
food from August to May L.
Mr.. B. O. HNris, Pendleton, S. c.,
states that it costs him only 1-2
cents per pound, charging liberal rent
for grazing land to produce pork. His
hogs are grazed on a pasture of Ber-
muda and Dallis grasses and Japan
clover from May l to December l. The
hogs are fed OH mangolds, turnips,
citrons and rice meal in winter, while
rich meal and skim milk supplement
insufficient pasturage during summer.
The food is cooked in winter. Mr.
Harris never feeds corn to hogs be-
cause it is too expensive.
Nv. J. D. B. Harmon, Lexington, S.
c., raises hogs, successfully on chufas,
cowpeas, sweet potatoes, rye and
sorghum. He practices the following
rotation: First year, cfufas; second
year, cowpeas, followed by rye; third
year either sweet potatoes or sorghum.
Chufas are planted in May; hogs are
turned in OH them October 1, and if
the supply of chufas is sufficient the
hogs are allowed to remain until May
of the following year, The hogs
in roofing for the chufas during wet
weather in winter render the soil un-
suitable for cultivated crops the next
season. On land occupied by chufas,
cowpeas are sown in June. The cow
peas are allowed to ripen, then hogs
are turned on the field, and they eat
the peas from the vines. The land is
sown to rye in September and grazed
during winter and early spring. When
stalks begin to form the hogs are re-
moved to give the rye chance to rep
en- so that it will not sour the land
when ploughed under. The rye is
then turned under and the land plant
ed into sorghum or sweet potatoes.
Mr.. Harmon feeds green sorghum
from July Is to about December L.
Potatoes are used III the field for his
hogs from August to December I. He
digs and uses them for feed in winter.
1t will be noticed that Mr.. Harmon
practices a good rotation and has am
pie food for his hogs from August 1
to May I. With good Bermuda
pasture planted to bur clover, and a
field of alfalfa, his hogs could have
the range of good pasture the entire
year.
DR.. T.. C. Smith, Wiliston, S. c.,
raises hogs largely on cowpeas, pea
nuts chufas and Jerusalem artichokes.
Hogs are turned on cowpeas August
l and allowed to remain until Sept
ember 1. They are then turned into
the peanut field and allowed to remain
until November to Is, at which time
they are turned into the chufa and
arcticholse field, where they remain
4 mi