The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-08-19

be secured, but even then, corn at a
dollar a bushel is altogether too high
priced to feed in proportion to the
returns secured from it. AS a mat
ter of fact. drove Of hogs fed on
grazing crops will result in the pro-
duction Of a much larger amount of
pork and the animals will be kept
much freer Of disease and in a health
ier and more vigorous condition by
reason Of their ability to gather their
own food. :.
There are certain crops which
may be grown successfully from
which 700 to 1000 pounds Of pork
per acre have been made in various
experiments reported up to date.
Even though not more than 500 pounds
of pork be secured from an acre of
soy beans, at s cents per pound live
weight it would represent a return
of $40 per acre, and it Is relatively
easier to grow an acre Of soy beans
and make this amount of pork than
70 produce 40 bushels of corn. Sup
pose the 40 bushels Of corn if fed
alone produced as much as 10
pounds of pork per bushel which
would seldom be the case, the return
per acre would he at the rate of 400
pounds with a money value of S32
Cow peas may be expected to make
a
peanuts in experiments to date sur
pass both these crops in the amount
OF pork secured per acre. In fact.
there is no crop grown up to the pres
ent time which compares with pea
nuts for this purpose. There is one
objection to the exclusive use of the
peanut in that it makes a soft, oily
pork, but if some corn be fed. say
not over two pounds per head per
day to we'll develop animals while
grazing on peanuts, this objection will
be largely overcome. Another plan
is to confine the hogs to pens and
feed them for about 80 days on corn
after removing them from the field.
If the cowpeas and soy beans are
planted in succession, that is, early
and late varieties selected, grazing on
these crops may be had easily from
the first Of August to the first OF
October. Peanuts may be grazed un-
til the first Of the year; certainly UNI
til cold enough weather arrives to
permit Of the slaughtering and salts
factory sale Of the greater part Of
the animals.
The object Of the owner should be
to raise two litterS per year when
ever possible, and to do this he should
not lose sight Of the fact that extra
good care and feeding will be neces-
sary. An effort should be made to
manage the sows so as to have the
smallest number Of pigs to feed and
handle in the coolest part of the
winter when the weather is cold and
wet. For winter grazing artchokes
should be planted. This crop is
not any more difficult to grow than
Irish potatoes. They will make a
yield Of several hundred bushels per
acre and provide succulent and most
desirable form Of food for brood
sows and other hogs during the win
ter season. In the spring fall-sown
oats and vetch will serve every pur-
pose. Some oats may be sown in the
spring so as TO prolong the sequence
Of crops. Rape will also be a very
valuable crop for spring grazing.
Most people do not realize the value
Of oats as a food for hogs. 1t has
been shown that when the grain is
passing out Of the dough stage when
the animals are turned on this crop
that from 800 to 500 pounds Of porl
may often be secured. The hogs
will gather and harvest the grain
very completely and the straw and
litter left on the ground will enrich
the soil materially.
UnQuestionably, a comparatively
small area Of land may be made to
accommodate relatively large num-
Der of hogs, and if the herd is pro-
tected by the use OF the serum treat
ment, the loss may be reduced To
minimum. and in great majority of
cases prevented altogether. 1t has
been demonstrated that pork may be
made at a cost of 2.5 to 3.5 cents a
pound on grazing crops. Even at a
higher figure it can be made at less
than half the cost which will be en-
tailed where grain is fed. There is
not section of the South which is
not admirably adapted for the growth
Of the variety Of soiling crops neces-
Sary to produce pork under the graz