Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-03-20
WAPELL0 COUNTY FARMERS
DISCUSS MANY QUESTIONS
'hina, Chester White and Duroc Jer.

China, Chester White and Duroc Jer.
sey.
THE Yorkshire and Tamworth are
two true types of bacon hogs. They
are noted for their prolificness in Civ
ing birth to the largest filters at far
rowing time. This is about all the good
that can be said in their favor for this
section OF the country and for the av-
erage farmer. This does not mean
that pure bred hogs of the bacon type
cannot be profitable in this country,
but 1T does mean that under the aver
age conditions they cannot compete
with other breeds of hogs for econom.
ical gains.
In the production of bacon by
means of the true bacon hogs we must
consider what feeds are necessary to
produce the most economical gains.
While the animal must be kept grow
ing. ne must be given such food as
will produce bone and lean meat. To
do this successfully varied diet must
be used. Foods that are rich in pro-
TEN are what is needed in the econom-
ical production of abcon. Such foods
are barley, wheat, peas, beans, rye, etc.
Corn, the main hog feed of Wapello
county. cannot be used along in the
economical production of first class ba-
con. This then virtually places the
bacon hog out of the corn belt, and we
find that north and south of the corn
belt the bacon hog is the most promin-
ent, while directly in the corn belt the
other breeds of swine predominant.
The Rerkshire Hon
s"The Berkshire hog which have
placed in a class by itself, is also
noted for prolificness, and may be ap-
propriately called the dual purpose
hog, for as you feed him, so will he
produce. If you feed the Berkshire for
bacon, you get bacon, and when you
iced him for lard, you get lard. The
Berkshire is \ large hog. rather rangy
in conformation, is noted for being an
excellent ranger, and will be able to
take care of himself when following
cattle.
II shall take a few moments to ex-
plain why | have chosen the Berkshire
hog as being the best adapted to this
county. While having in charge the
six different breeds at the agricultural
college, found that under like cir
cum Instances the Berkshire hog always
responded the best. found that in the
production of their offspring, they
majority. They were excellent rang
ers, generally more healthful and in
the point of economical production OF
pork they excelled the so called lard OF
strictly fat hog. Upon looking for In
formation to ,corroborate my findings
realized that in experiments to deter
mine which breed was the most econ
omical pork producers, that the Berk
shire hog required the least amount
of feed to produce 100 pounds of gair
in the majority of experiments. These
are the reasons why uphold the Berk
shire hog. The three remaining, the
Poland China, Chester White ant
Duroc Jersey, are very much alike il
characteristics, regardless OF the
claims to the contrary Were it pos
sible to change the different colors o
these three breeds to one it would bt
a hopeless task to pick out the indi
vidual breeds. These three breeds O
hogs are especially adapted to thu
corn belt for the production Of lard
Their characteristics are very mucl
alike We can then deduct that from
the six breeds the breed or breeds o
hogs best adapted to the corn belt o
! Wapello county are those that can b.
raised and fed under the average con
i ditions. en- the average farms in TIL
country. namely the Berkshires, Pc
land Chinas, Duroc Jerseys and Ches
/ ter Whites"
Gardner On "Good Roads,"
/ A. J. Gardner, member of the We
pello county board of supervisors, &C
dressed the institute on the lnteres
j ing subject of Good Roads" His ps
per was discussed by Fred Jones, Gee
Dickens, Jacob Lowenberg and Chas
Bloom. Mr.. Gardeners remarks wer
greeted with much interest. His pa
per is complete as follows:
i During the past five or six year
/ there has probably been no topic l
which the people of Iowa have bee
more universally interested than tina
of Good Roads,
"Our people are beginning to realiz
that we are no longer on the frontie
and that with advancement in othe
/ lines, we must have better facilities
communication with those around III
4 with land around the $500 mar
and evidences of prosperity all aroun
us, we can no longer ignore the draw
back of being practically isolated frol
our near neighbors by bad roads, fc
from two to four months in the yea
"The problem of improving OF
roads is somewhat complex-th
methods best adapted for one localit
:. being quite different from those in al
other. 4 will endeavor to confine m,
self to the conditions as they appl