Durant weekly news. (Durant, Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 190?-1944, 1916-03-10
MORE HOGS" is PACKERS
MESSAGE TO OKLAHOAiANS
Prominent Packer Tells Why state
Sho uld Raise More POrlcrs aud
Explains Why II Insurcs
Greater Prosperity.

The following appeal to Oklahoma
farmers for more hogs, is written by
Mr. Thomas f. Wilson, president OF
Morris & Co, packers. and we deem
It food for serious thought;
with the present general pros
perity Oklahoma is enjoying her
share though her farmers have
scarcely scratched the surface in the
matter of livestock
"eBnefiting by knowledge gained
from past experience, oklahoma
should put more energy into the
raising of livestock. No permanent
prosperity can be enjoyed without a
well-planned and energetic scheme
of LIVESTOCK production and raising
sufficient feed to carry along the
herds.
Full advantage of the great mar
keting facilities of Oklahoma City
have not been taken advantage of.
Neither has the production OF
hogs kept pace with growing de-
mands. In 1914 there were in Ok
lahoma. 1.352.OOO hogs; in 1915.
100000. and on Jan. i, 1915, the
government reported 1,49i 600 hogs
in the State. While there has been
an increase from year to year, yet it
has been comparatively nothing, all
things considered. The breeding
ability of the hogs, the short feeding
period necessary to finish them for
market and the steady and unsteady
growing demand should find many
thousand more head on farms in ok
lahoma.
"The successful way of raising
hogs is clearly marked Whatever
obstacles there were have been work
ed out by those who have gone into
the business. The bankers. govern
ment, and State officials, too. have
co-operated and have done great
amount of work for the benefit of
the farmer
I'm Oklahoma prosperity rests
largely upon the success and ener-
gies of her farmers, who should be
successful and enthusiasts livestock
producers. The farmer is learning
every day how important is the rails
ing Of crops adapted to the climate,
and how indispensable is the pres
ence of livestock both from fertil-
ity and financial standpoint
thine was. just a comparatively
few years ago. when farmers could,
and did, stand the droughts. Scarce
ly any attention was given to live
stock raising because of the doubt
in maturing crops to carry over the
livestock.
"Then was introduced a number
of drought-resisting plants, many OF
which has been adopted Alfalfa
feterita, kafir corn, Bermuda grass,
milo maize all were taken up and
held to or rejected as the various in
dividual experiences of farmers in
fluenced their judgment.
Many adhered to Indian corn and
various degrees of success we're
achieved. Unfortunately many,
year after year, witnessed wonder
full growth of their corn to a point
where its appearance bespoke many
well-filled ears and a bumper yield,
only to have the hot sun kill their
crops, leaving them none to sell, and
none to feed livestock,
"Then came the slo, and to those
who still had faith in Indian corn it
proved q blessing Where few
years before there were sun-burned
acres and acres of corn, today finds
fields growing crops better suited to
Oklahoma, and where corn is still
somewhat of a gamble is found a
silo ready to receive and keep the
feeds that will furnish nourishment
to livestock in the cold days of win
ter or over the lean days when devas-
tating droughts come
The farmer knows he can ship
his livestock which he has fattened
on grains that have given him
greater margin of profit than If he
shipped the grain to market-to Ok
lahoma City, receive good price,
and take his money home with him
The farmers of Oklahoma will EN-
JOY prosperity insofar only as they
apply themselves earnestly to raising
iafger crops and more livestock
Whein these things are done in a
greater measure than they are being
- taday then Oklahoma Will he
sar advarted '"wards the top of the
list of hog raising states"
RECALL or GORE is SUGGESTED