The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1912-10-06
Future OF America Depends
on Development of Super-pig

The Department of Agriculture IL
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 other section
Of the country and produces less. This.
of course. is an economic misfortune
II Is also rather absurd. inasmuch as
the South (say the experts) could grow
pork cheaper than II can be produced
In any other part of the United States.
simply because II 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 little money is needed to begin
with. and returns are quick. the sow
being so rapid a producer. With $125
invested in one boar and five to eight
sows, II Is easily possible to have for
sale 5000 to 5000 pounds of pork Give
weight In year. In other words. the
yearly sales should be double. or posi-
bly, quadruple. the original investment.
Can you beat IL?
II the Southern farmer would raise
hogs to furnish him with ready money,
he would not be compelled to sell his
cotton as soon as II was gathered In
order to obtain necessary cash. He could
hold back his cotton and SO command a
higher price for it. What the Depart
ment 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 suit
able pasture crops to feed 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 IL can produce
pork, will become the greatest hog rails
ing section of the United States
Must Have superpiR.
From all that has been said. IT will
be seen how vastly important 1t Is to
our economic future that the American
hog should be improved as much as pos
sible. We must have a superpig. a
rapid grower and a quick multiplier of
its species. Hence the earnestness with
which the government experts are now
conducting breeding experiments IN vari-
Gus parts of the country. But there is
something else that has to be considered
and which has most direct bearing
upon the problem 1t is the matter of
keeping hogs properly.
There are hog growers who are getting
two litters a year, of seven or more pig
lings each. from their sows right along
and quite as a matter of course. Why
then, Is the average farmer unable to
count on more than one litter OF four
piglings? The answer is that he does
lows them little or no opportunity for
exercise; he compels them to live in filthy
and insanitary quarters. and commonly
he provides them with no adequate pro-
lection 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 we'll cared
for. but the opposite is yhe case. 1t is
hard for many farmers to get rid of the
notion that anything is good enough for
a hog. Yet there Is no animal on the
farm that needs protection from cold
more than the hog: none for which a
good. clean bed is more necessary. and
none. where the little pig is concerned.
that has such urgent need of sunshine.
The horse and the COW have good coats
Of hair, the hens feathers are an ex-
cellent protection against cold. but the
hog has almost nothing between its skin
and the weather.
Hog Clean Animal.
The hog Is naturally a very clean ami
NAL 1t ought to have plenty Of pure
water II 1t has an opportunity. It will
battle constantly. On a few farms in
this country where pigs of fancy breeds
are used. bath tubs Of concrete and
sunk below the level of the ground are
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 beast 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 mall
ady-hog colera- a disease recently
brought under control through the pro-
duction Of a serum discovered by a
government scientist. DR.. Marion Dor
set), which, when administered by n.y.
podermic injection, renders the animal
immune. But another very serious dam
ger now threatens from the spread
among pigs OF tuberculosis. the infection
being derived originally from cattle.
Creamery refuse and the blood and en-
trails of cattle are commonly fed to
pigs. and If these happen to contain
tubercle baciIli the swine are pretty sure
to contract the malady.
Hogs should have dry and well venti-
lated quarters. Young pigs especially
require plenty OF sunshine and fresh air.
and should be kept warm The sun
should shine directly into the PEN II
is important also that swine should
have access to clean water for bathing.
They need exercise. and whenever pos
sibIe they should have free range, even
come from a district in Virginia. not far
from Norfolk. where the hogs run al
most wild in the woods. living on roots
and nuts. These hams bring 30 per cent
more In the market than the ''swiil-fed'
hams put up by Western packers.
Require Fresh Air.
We have learned, luckily. to cook our
pork very thoroughly. as a precaution
against the dread disease called "trich-
iniasis.'' That this precaution Is very
necessary is made manifest by tGesstate-
ment that one pig out Of every ten Is
infested by the .ipy worms known as
''trichinae." II these find their way
alive into the stomach of human be-
ing. they will bore into the flesh. anc.
IN enormous numbers. cause
an agonizing death. For this reason il
was that the old Mosaic law Though
based upon no exact knowledge Of the
nature of the malady) forbade the chosen
people to eat pork. But as a matter OF
fact trichiniasis Is a rat disease. Rats
infected with it find their way into the
pens. and, being eaten by the hogs, COM
municate the malady to the latter. II
is a good argument is favor OF making
pig sites ratproof.
The superpig must be a healthy pig.
1t must be decently housed, With proper
consideration given to its comfort and
the sanitation of its surroundings. Thus
cared for II will Weld an ample return