Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1907-02-27
HOGS IN new ACRICULT URAL WEST

Breeders Gazette: Some years ago
the published news from the west con-
sisted chiefly Of mining stories and
daring adventures Of cowboys and ban
dts. Nearly every bit Of intelligence
from that unsubdued section served to
strengthen the popular impression that
it was wild and woolly:." It is a diff
! ferent kind of information that comes
i from the west Of today. The wild oats
of frontier civilization have been har
vested in good \ measure and the
ground seeded to farm crops and live
stock. Transitions are occurring. Land
owners are adapting progressive meth
DDS. to conditions. Unfruitful wild
cat" excursions into the bowels of the
4 earth for precious metals are being
( abandoned to engage in agricultural
mining 1t has dawned on the people
/ that the richest mines of any country
! are found in the first seven or eight
/ inches of its soil. This is the mental
prelude to industrial development.
! When people buckle down to the soil
and put their best Thought into it
prosperity is the certain result.
Travelling through any of the west
/ ern states the trained agricultural OBJ
server notes important effects that
l have followed the conquest of the
land. He is especially impressed with
4 the progress made in Montana Wyo-
ming and Colorado Each of these
states is wonderfully diversified in its
agricultural possibilities Each is ris-
ing rapidly to commercial eminence
by reason of its output of farm stock
and crops. These products annually
represent a cash value which makes
the wealth extracted from the mines
look comparatively small. Agriculture
is the greatest industry in the states
named. Rich in possibilities for
farmers and stockmen, they are CON
spicuously great through realization.
What has been done looms up like
Pixies Peak and throws a flood of
light on promising future.
Cattle raising for years has been
the chief occupation of western farm
ers, and seems destined to retain
strong footing, but in recent years
4 flock husbandry has suppl mented and
/ in many cases supplanted it, much to
4 the financial advantage of the more
4 conservative fiockmasters and mutton
j finishers. But another parting Of the
i ways apparently has been reached by
i a large proportion of the farmers in
4 Colorado, Wyoming and Montana. IT.
now seems that one road to fortune in
i those commonwealth lies in swine.
raising. Other classes Of stock have
i had their innings; cattle and sheep
j have been tried, and horses have been
i given opportunity to demonstrate their,
4 money-making qualities. There have
4 been no total failures to discredit.
these stocks, but a large and growing
] place in the rural economy of the.
and he is sure to measure up to ex-
.Ipectations if given a fair trial. Pork
Il always has been and always will be
the standby meat for the working
A people of America. Contrary to Oft
quoted views of cornbelt swine raisers,
d who pardonab1y might have axes to
grind in unbosoming such views, pork
Iof a superior quality can be probably
4 produced outside the realm of King
4 Corn. Other grains and crops will,
make it. Among these is the field pea.
d Barley, wheat, oats and alfalfa can be
i brought effectively to its aid. By-prod-
! ucts from various factories also can
i be relied on for material assistance in
4 the production of pork
Hogs thrive in high dry attitudes.
\ Pure water is available wherever
Il there is any water. The feeds used
Il tend to develop a rugged constitution,
which is always associated with ro-2
4 bust health. For the same reason
4 prolificacy is increased or maintained
at high average. Growth rather
than lush fat is secured, and the quail
ity of the meat is first-class. Peas
make an exceptionally fine grade Of
l.pork that is sweet tender and sub
4 stantial. A Denver packer offers a
premium for pea-fed hogs Peas can
II be grown successfully II, very large
areas throughout the western states,
but even where they can not be relied
lon other crops can be used in pork
making.
There are no serious drawbacks to-
the swine industry in several of the
western states. On the other hand,
there is every natural inducement that
a reasonable man could desire. Active
home markets greedily await the re-
lceipt Of native-raised hogs. Cattle and