Lincoln County times. (Jerome, Idaho) 1911-1919, 1912-01-11

pork In this intermountain country at
profit. Some, and perhaps the ma
jority of them, believe that hogs can
not be grown and fattened at
profit in any country where
corn cannot be abundantly and
cheapy grown; in fact, they are
not backward in expressing their con-
viction that hogs cannot be grown and
fattened without corn. After some
fattening in this western country, we
are convinced that these men are
greatly mistaken, and we believe that
this section offers many advantages
for pork production that are not to be
found in any other section of the
United States.
1t may be said that there are five
prime factors that have to do with
profitable pork production in any coun-
try; these are, first, the ability, ex-
perience and taste OF the farmer; sec
ond, the nature of the climate; third,
the character of the soil and its ca
pacity to produce an abundance of
suitable feed products cheaply; fourth.
most important, the demand for pork
products or the availability of a good
market Let us consider briefly these
five factors, and apply them to our
conditions, and see how nearly we fill
the bill In this section. In the first in
stance. we have as progressive lot of
farmers as may be found in any sec
ton of the country. 1t is true that
many, in fact. most of them have not
that knowledpo and skill in the bust
ness of rearing and feeding swine that
insures success. but this skill and
knowledge can be secured in a very
short time with little pract cal ex-
perience and careful study. 1t can
therefore. be said that in so far as the
first factor is concerned that our con
ditions are favorable.
As regards the climate. this section
cannot be excelled in any other part
of this continent for hog raising. This
is a broad statement, but | believe the
facts substantiate it. The weather is
uniformly dry. the seasons are moder
ate. the air pure and invigorating and
the sunshine abundant and strong
There is only one serious objection &c
our climate from the hogs standpoint
and that is our extreme variation OF
temperature in each twenty-four hours
and this objection. while a very serious
one. if not guarded against. is very
readily overcome The hog is by ma
ture a semi-tropical animal. he has q
light coat of very coarse hair at best
and is consequently very susceptible
/ TO cold or chills. Again. the hog ha:
no perspiratiOn or sweat glands in hi!
skin. and though he be a semi-tropica
animal naturally. is very easily over
come with heat. Most other animals
| including man, are providentialll
equipped with n means of cooling the
surface of their bodies through the
evaporation of the perspiration which
exudes from the open pores of thei
skin whenever the temperature of tn,
body rises ahnormally This mer
ciful provision of nature hal
been denied the hog. consequent
ly, when he is exposed to th'
burning hot sun during the middle o
the day. and his body becomes over
heated, he should be provided will
some kind of shelter or shade: ant
with some means of supplying mois
ture for evaporation from the surfac
of his body. On the other hand. whel
the sun goes down. and the chill al
from the mountains descends int
the valleys in the evening, or durin
the night. the hog having no adt
quate covering of hair is very readil
chilled The result of which is yer
apt to be a serious loss from pnet
monia and other pulmonary troubles
particularly in the case of young pig
and very fat animals In summer.
is important. therefore that hog
should he furnished with some she
ter in the fields. We provide sma
"A'shaped, eight-foot square no
houses. These are cheap. easil
moved from place to place and al
swer every purpose. both for shelte
from the sun and from the cool nigh
air. providing. they are we'll vent
lated. In addition to adequate she
ter all pasture lots for hogs in sun
mer should be provided with bath
in which the animals can go at will
not so much to clean their bodies q
to cool themselves. Hogs should II,
be forced to make n wallOw in som
dirty. filthy. stagnant pool of watC
in order to cool themselves Provid
each pasture lot with a small tan
eight by eight feet square and te
inches deep. made of plank CT co
crete. set into the ground. and hay
this supplied with fresh. clean wat,
once or twice n week. which will NJ
hold to exceed two or three barrel
and to this bath. each week yc
should add about two quarts of son
good coal tar disinfectant. II will
found an excellent precaution again
disease. and. particularly, those of
parasitical nature. and is the most {
fective method that ! know Of f
keeping the animals free from liz
and vermin. With these minor pr
tections against sudden extremes
| temperature this climate is certain
| ideal for hogs of all ages.
Concerning the soil. little need
| said for it is such in almost eve
| section that it will produce a ma,
| mum yield of all kinds of cere
Il grains. as well as peas beans al