Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1906-06-07

anu Neu u-t- Pa-t IN teting OF the
Why's and whsrefores. A portion of his
article Is as follows:
-Of the entire family of domestic ami
mals. the hog brings to the farmer the
greatest return, one year after another,
for the time and money expended upon
it. Time was when little attention was
raid by the average farmer to the hog
erop. A few head of swine were con-
sidered a necrssity in order to furnish
a supply of ham. bacon and lard for
home use Comparatively few farmers
booked upon their pigstys as a source of
ready money. The swine were kept in
filthy pens and fed on refuse, and little
attention was paid to the improvement
Of their quality. The name was the
synonym OF slo,h and fIthiness, and the
idea that they would appreciate sanitary
surroundings and wholesome food was
never for a moment entertained. .
Ii is remarked that hogs are the
easiest money that the farmer makes
This i doubtless true where a reason
able amount of intelligent care Is given
to swine, to their breeding. housing.
feeding and protection from disease OF
the first importance is the selection of
breeding stock, in which too much care
cannot be exercised II has been said
that the male i half the herd but this
does not mean that as much care shouh
not be used in the selection of brood
sows as in the choice of the male. The
characteristics of both parents are like
ly to be reproduced in their offspring
and where both are good individuals
then. and then only, can a litter of pigs
of good quality be reasonably expected.
Not all animals. however. transmit their
best qualities to their offspring. and the
process Of selection should be kept up
constantly. those animals lacking in pre-
potency being eulled out OF the breeding
herd. regardless OF their individual good
points There are a number Of breeds
OF swine which possess the requisites
for profitable market animals. and the
selection of breed i largely a matter
OF individual taste. The most popular
hog l. the one that can bs made To
weigh 80 to 300 pounds at one year Old.
AMI for this reason the large breeds pre-
dominate in this country. The tendency
IN recent years has been to market hogs
at an earlier age, at the sacrifice OF
weight, but in greater economy in the
cost Of production The bulk of hogs
marketed now range from 200 to 80
pounds in weight. and the average
weight by years Is only a little over
200 pounds.
In the care of hogs. sanitation AMI
feeding play a conspicuous part. The
greatest drawback To the swine indus
try Is the disease commonly known as
cholera In the absence Of a depend
able remedy for this disease. the swine
grower must largely rely on prevention
IL has been demonstrated that a herd Of
swine can be kept immune from disease
By proper Application Of sanitary meas
ures- The quarters occupied BY hogs
shoald be clean. dry. well ventilated and
disinfertant- The value Of occasional
" dipping hogs in some solution whose
efficiency has been proven has been
fully demonstrated The dipping frees
them from bacteria and vermin ami
keeps them in a healthy condition. which
enables them to resist disease.
The care of brood sows ut farrow-
ing time u n matter OF more import
anee than 10 given il by many farmers
The absence of comfortable farrowing
houses frequently results in the loss of
valuable htters. These houses are not
large, 6xs feet being sufficient. Each
house should be surrounded BY a small
yard To allow OF exercise. They may be
mounted on runners AMI moved from
place to place. Experiments have
shown that such houses soon pay for
themselves in the increased size of the
litters saved
Care should be exercised not to over
feed the brood SOW before fsrrowing
time Concentrated foods should be fed
sparinsiy. Too much corn Is harmful
Chopped clover or alfalfa hay, bran.
oats. peas. barley and roots are desir-
able. Brood sows, as farrowing time
approaches. should be well nourished.
and if properly fed flesh i an aivan-
tage rather than a dstriment- IL i es-
s-ntial, however. that they should have
sufficient exercise 70 keep them in good
eonsiition
The feeding Of pigs intended for
market should begin when they are
wean%sl The milk fat Of the sucking
pa. should not be allowed To di>appsa
bat should be added To daily a the ami
NAL increases in age- Corn should be
used in a limited quantity on the groS-
ing pay, and should be supplemented BY
ground foods. dairy bi-pFosinets, alfalfa
or ebsver pasture. and such other feeds
rs are at hsnd- A the animal increases
IN age the proportion OF corn or other
faf-pro.iieing food should be increased
Numerous expirements have proven that
ir does not paw to feed hog heyon,t
go or 300 pounds At this weight they
MI the requirement. OF the average mar
k<t- Further weight Is secured at q
considerably increased cost per pound.
and the point Is eventually reached
where it requires practically all OF the
feed consumed to maintain the weight
already secured"
While the gentleman who wrote this
may have little conception of a Missis-
sippi hog pen and know practically moth
ing about conditions as they prevail
here, he evidently advances some good
ideas with regardeto the care of hogs.
Cleanliness is desirable IN everything.
and as much 50 in hog raising as other
lines of industry. W 3 IS il that does
not believe that meat Yhtteued in a well
drained and eleanly pen should not be
more wholesome than that in the old
style pen 80 common in use wears ago,
and still in vogue at places. While our
State does not raise any considerable
quantity of meat for export, great
deal Is made for home consumption and
the advice given adove might be used
to advantage by the small farmer, as
vel as the large planter 1t is offered
for what it is worth
80
Meridian Is undergoing a wave Of in
dignation by the citizens at the eondi-
tion of the streets. 1t is to be hopesi
that this eommendable stirring up viii
not be allowed to 10 by without some
thing of a substantial nature being done
to better conditions.
One of the greatest needs of MississIp-
p Is better roads On that subject and
with . sensible and cheap proposition
Tor their b<tterment, an article viii be
published in this department shortly.
q not an Intried experiment. nor the
bobby Of . monomaniae, but the result
of Gxpexience and one that has proven