El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-10-05


nothing to take its place except pork.
Must Yield Bulk of supply.
The American hog today is highly
appreciated brute, but the time is cor
ing before very long when II will be
called upon to yield the bulk Of our
meat supply. Beef viii never be cheaper
than it is today. On the contrary, it
is destined with fluctuations, OF
course) to rise steadily in price, and
century hence it is likely to be so dear
that only the very well to do can af-
ford to eat it. This is matter of
obvious interest TO every housewife.
The department of agriculture is
anxious to encourage pig raising as an
industry in the southern states At
the present time the south consumes
more meat per capita than any ether
section of the country and produces
less. This, of course, is an economic
misfortune. 1t is also rather absurd,
inasmuch as the south (say the eX-
pertS) should grow pork cheaper than
1t can be produced in any other part
Of the United States, simply because it
could feed pigs on pasture crops all the
year around.
The hog is specially adapted to the
uses of the farmer with small capital.
Only a little money is needed to begin
with, and returns are quick, the sow
being so rapid a producer. With S125
invested in one boar and five to eight
SoWS, it is easily possible to have Tor
weight in a year. l.. other words, the
yearly sales should be double, or possi-O
bly, Quadruple. the original lnVeS lLnent.
Can you beat it?
If the southern farmer would raise
hogs to furnish him with ready money,
he would not be compelled to sell his
cotton as soon as it was gathered in
order to obtain necessary cash he
could hold back his cotton and so COM
mand a higher price for it What the
department of agriculture urges is that
in that section hog growing ought to
be carried on side by side with cotton
growing, implying, of course, that part
Of the farmers land should be sown
with suitable pasture crops to IeeQ the
pigs Sooner or later this idea is likely
to be adopted, and the time may yet
arrive when the south, by reason OF the
greater cheapness with which II can
produce pork, will become the greatest
hog raising section of the United States.
From all that has been said, it will
be seen how vastly important 1t IS to
hog should be improved as much as
possible. We must have superpig,
rapid grower and quick mulupHer OF
its species. Hence the earnestness
with which the government experts are
now conducting breeding experiments
in various parts Of the country. But
there is some thing else that has to be
considered and which has most direct
bearing up on the problem. 1t is the
matter of keeping hogs properly.
Are Not Treated Properly.
There are hog growers who are get
ting two filters 4 year, of seven or more
along and quite as a matter of course.
Why, then. is the average farmer IN
able TO count on more than one litter
of four piglings2 The answer is that
he does not treat the animals properly.
He allows them little or no opportunity
for exercise. he compels them to live
in filthy and unsanitary quarters, and
commonly heprOvides them with no
adequate protection against wet and
cold
Hog raising has probably made more
clear money for the corn belt farmers
than any other form of enterprise. In
view of which fact one might expect
that the animals would be well cared
for, but the opposite is the case. 1t Is
hard for many farmers to get Tid OF the
notion that anything is good enough
for d hog. Yet there is no animal on
the farm that needs protection from
GOLD more than the hog; none for which
a good, clean bed is more necessary,
and none, where the little pig is con-
cerned, that has such urgent need of
sunshine. The horse and the cow have
good coats of hair, the hens feathers
but the hog has almost nothing be-
tween its skin and the weather.
The hog is naturally a very clean ami
NAL 1t ought to have plenty of pure
water. If it has an opportunity, it will
battle constantly. On a Jew farms in
this country where pigs OF fancy breeds
are used, bath tubs of concrete end
sunk below the level of the ground are
provided for the animals. Unfortunately
for itself, perhaps, the hog is able TO
survive under conditions which would
soon kill any other creature, and this
is the sole reason why the best is Gus
tomarily kept in a little pen, made
quately protected against cold and wet
and compelled to wallOw in its own
filth
This is the principal cause of the
prevalence of that frightfully fatal
cholera, a disease recently
brought under control through the pro-
ductiOn of a serum discovered by a
scientist, DR.. Marion Dor
set), which, when administered by hy-
pOdermic injection, renders the animal !
immune. But another very serious dan
ger now threatens from the spread |
among pigs of tuberculosis, the infec- |
ton being derived originally from cat
tie. Creamery refuse and the blood and |
entrails of cattle are commonly fed to |
pigs, and if these happen to contain 1
tubercle baciIli the swine are pretty !
sure to contract the malady.
Should Have Good Dry Quarters.
Hogs should have dry and well ven !
tilated quarters. Young pigs especially |
require plenty of sunshine and fresh I
air, and should be kept warm The 1
sun should shine directly into the pen. |
It is important also that swine should 4
have access to clean water for bathing.
They need exercise, and whenever pos |
sible they should have free range, even |
in winter. The finest hams in the I
world come from a district in Virginia, /
not far from Norfolk, where the hogs |