The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1908-07-23
SWINE INDUSTRY IN KANSAS.
A Large Annual Increase, Induced by
the Abundance of Alfalfa and Corn.
F. ID. Coburn, Secretary of Kansas
Board of Agriculture.

Board or Agriculture.
While v~egetarians have inveighed
against eating pork, there seems to be
no appreciate abatement in the rear
ing of swine. In spite of the warnings
of Moses and the sad fate that befell
the swine of Gadara, the demand for
the toothsome ham constantly increas-
es, and the Kansas farmers have found
it profitable to increase their hogs.
Kansas, with her abundance Of alf-
alta, which, either as pasture or hay,
is now recognized as one Of themost
valuable feeds for hogs, her plentiful
supply of corn and her salubrious eli
mate, probably presents conditions UNI
surpassed in any other territory of the
same area for the hogs health and
development. Kansas has more hogs
than all New England and fifteen
states and territories added, and a
strong testimonial to the popularity of
the pig in Kansas is found in the live.
stock statistics of this year, now being
compiled by the State Board of Agri-
culture. Nearly every county reports
an increase in it's porcine population,
and the aggregate for the state is
2,60S,574 a net increase over the pre-
ceding year of 491 ,449, or more than
% per cent. In only one year of the
states history has the number been
larger, and that was in 1898, when the
total was 2,766,071.
Only one of the leading hog coun-
ties shows a decrease in numbers, ald
that is Smith, and in all probability
this can be accounted for by the COM
parative shortage of corr there this
year. While several of her sister
counties had little, if any, better out
loook for corn, none show a decrease
in swine. In fact, all told, only seven
counties reported less swine, the other
ninety-eight showing gains, some quite
phenomenal, as, for instance, Greeley
county, where the number nearly
quadrupled in the past year. The
county credited with the largest num-
Der this year, 99,749, is Jewell, which,
too, ordinarily is the largest producer
of corn, and leads likewise in alfalfa
acreage. Smith county in spite of the
falling off in numbers, ranks second.
with 72,059; Butler third, with 66,97s,
followed by Nemaha, Phillips, Republic
and Crowley in the order named.
Hogs, corn and alfalfa make a strong
combination, and the counties having
the largest number If swine, likewise
are the foremost in corn and alfalfa.
The statistics give every indication
that the hog is likely to occupy a still
more prominent place in the animal
~husbandry of the Sunfiower State. and
such recognition as this would imply
seems rightly deserved, since he has
been a most potent factor in establish
ing the credit of the Kansas farmer
and in the upbuilding of the entire
Central West.
We congratulate our sister state on
her remarkable swine industry and
concede all Of the advantages and
conditions claimed for the Sunflower
State. 1t, however, should open the
eyes of the Minnesota and Dakota far
mers to the possibilities their own
states offer. Practically all the fav
orable conditions u sister state pos
sesses in such a marked degree are
found in u states with some advan,
tages added, viz: Unparalleled op
portunities for ~dairying which supple.
ments swine ~husbandry as nothing
else can; u great success sin growing
all kinds Of diversified crops and our
noted advantages for producing hog
pastures. Considering the fact that
these states have a record for uncom.
parable health in all kinds of live
stock makes 1t possible and probable
: that this famous district will