The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1915-01-29
RAISING HOGS
IN FLORIDA

Florida. on account of its climate,
its lakes and springs, its shade trees,
the year round pastures, is the Ideal
country for the successful breeding
of good hogs. No other agricultural
industry in the state presents such
opportunities at the present time
which can be so successfully carried
on. with less capital, quick returns,
and an assurance of profit that Meth
err orange growing or trucking can
be relied upon. YoIr crop OF grow
ing hogs instead of depicting the
fertility of ones soil, enriches 1T.
The demand for good Florida pork is
much greater than the supply, and l
would be afraid to say how many hum
dreds ofsthousands of dollars are ev-
\ ery wear sent out of this state to buy
western pork, all of which could be
grown here at saving to the consul
mer and profit to the farmer
Il Unlike some other crops raised in
Sunny Florida, one does not have to
stay up and ont cold nights, keep
ing fires going to save ones crop OF
hogs from freezing. The breeder OF
hogs is not taxed so per cent on his
income, or rather on what his prod
ucts sell for in the northern market,
bys express, railroad and fertilizer
companies, and has not, after his crop
is matured, to ship it thousands of
miles with. chance Of getting 1t
frozen in transit, or as | have been
told sometimes happens, his commits
sion man fails to return full value
for the goods sold, which is hard to
believe.
The secret of hog raising with prof
it and success is plenty of good pas
ture, pure water and breeding thor
oughbred type of hog, that will grow
off and make weight quickly, is har-
dy, good rustler, and from stock
acclimated to our climate. Such a
type of hog, well cared for, will
weigh at six months old from 125 to
ITS pounds. On no account start the
beginning of your future herd with
anything but pure strain of thor
oughbred hog. Buy registered stock;
one knows then what he is getting.
One will hear some breeders say their
hogs are not registered, and they
are lust as good. In some cases 1t
may be so. Personally l believe in
buying the best stock, not the Just
AS Good Kind, and it was an eXpen-
sive lesson before l was taught. 1t
is a waste of time trying to make a
profit from the Razor Back variety,
they will never pay enough for the
food they have consumed. For this
part of the country the Berkshire or
Duroc Jersey are undoubtedly the
best. l prefer the latter. The Du-
roc being more prolific, better rust
Ter, and of quieter disposition.
They are both splendid types of hogs,
and with proper treatment will both
bring in big profits.
My own hogs live always on pas
ture in the open, and with the excep-
ton of the brood sows near to far
rowing and until the young pigs are
six weeks old, are never under roof.
In the pastures are orange, pecan
and oak trees, that afford all the
shade necessary. The pastures all
border lake, but this is not neces-
sary, indeed l begin to think it is
better to have ones pastures away
from the lake, especially where one
has the advantage of a spring or
flowing well. My fences are made
from 26 inch mesh wire, with barb
ed wire strung six inches above it,
and to avoid expense and for quick
ness in moving our posts are made
from pieces of lumber 2x4 and four
feet long, sharpened at one end, and
driven into the earth with an axe;
such a fence can be put up quickly
or moved where needed.
We start the pastures the 18th of
January, planting millet and sorgh-
UNI, followed in due season through
out the year with peanuts, cowpeas,
beggarweed, velvet beans, winter rye
and oats, and by the time the pigs
are through with their velvet beans
and rye pastures, the new crop of
millet and sorghum is ready for them.
We also have good patch of early
sweet corn which they much relish.
The pastures that the preceding year
were in beggarweed and velvet
beans, we plant to corn and cassava,