Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1906-06-08


A writer in a Texas farm paper says
that Hogs are the Farmers Best
Friend" and well uses a page in
telling of the why's and wherefores
A portion of his article is as follows
"Of the entire family of domestic
animals, the hog brings to the farmer
The greatest return, one year after
another, for the time and money ex-
: pended upon it. Time was when lit
tie attention was paid by the average
farmer to the hog crop. A few head
Of swine were considered necessity
IN order to furnish supply Of ham,
bacon and lard for home use. Com
paratively few farmers looked upon
their piestys as a source of ready
money. The swine We're kept in filthy
pens and fed on refuse, and little at
tention was paid to the improvement
Of their quality. The name was the
synonym of sloth and filthiness, and
the idea that they would appreciate
sanitary surroundings and wholesome
food was never for a moment en-
tartained. 1t is remarked
that "hogs are The easiest money that
the farmer Makes This is doubt
less true where a reasonable 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 breed
ing stock, in which too much care can
not be exercised. 1t has been said
that the male is half the herd but
this does not mean that as much care
should not be used in the selection of
brood sows as in the choice of the
male. The characteristics of both
parents are likely to be reproduced in
their offspring and where both are
good individuals, then, and then only,
:an litter of pigs of good quality be
reasonably expected. Not all animals
however, transmit their best quail
ties to their offspring, and the pro-
cess of selection should be kept up
constantly, those animals lacking in
prepotency being culled out of the
breeding herd, regardless of their in
dividual good points. There are a
number of breeds Of swine which pos
sess the requisites for profitable mar
ket animals, and the selection of a
breed IS largel Y a matter of individual
taste. The most popular hog is the
one that can be made to weigh $50
to 300 pounds at one year old, and for
his reason the large breeds predom-
mate in this country. The tendency
N recent years has been to market
hogs at an earlier age, at the sacri-
ice of weight, but in greater economy
in the cost of production. The bulk
If hogs marketed now range from 200
to 250 pounds in weight, and the aver
age weight by years is only little
'ver 200 pounds.
''In the care of hogs, sanitation
and feeding play a conspicuous part.
rhe greatest drawback to the swine
industry is the disease commonly
Known as cholera In the absence
If a dependable remedy for this dis
,ase, the swine grower must largely
ely on prevention. 1t has been dem
,nstrated that herd of swine can be
Kept immune from disease by proper
application of sanitary measures. The
quarters occupied by hogs should be
.lean, dry, we'll ventilated and fire.
Iuently treated with some reliable dis
nfectant. The value of occasionally
Tipping hogs in some solution whose
efficacy has been proven, has been
FULLY demonstrated. The dipping frees
hem from bacteria and vermin and
Keeps them in a healthy condition,
which enables them to resist disease.
The care of brood sows at farrow-
mg time is matter Of more impor-
;ance than is given it by many farm
rs. The absence Of comfortable far
rowing houses frequently results in
.he loss of valuable litters. These
louses are not large, 6xS feet being
sufficient. Each house should be sur
'ounded by small yard to allow of
exercise. They may be mounted on
runners and 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
Nerfeed the brood SOW before farrow-
ng time. Concentrated foods should
be fed sparingly. Too much corn is
harmful. Chopped clover or alfalfa
lay, bran, oats, peas, barley and roots
are desirable. Brood sows, as far
rowing time approaches, should be
we'll nourished, and if properly fed,
flesh is an advantage. rather than a
detriment. 1t is essential however,
that they should have sufficient exer-
else to keep them in good condition.
"The feeding of pigs intended for
market should begin when they are
Tl,o combine cotton oin whinh hos