The Harrison times., 1917-06-16
URGE BANKERS TO
BOOST Pig CLUBS
Uncle Sans Agricultural Experts
Seek Increase in COuntry'S
Meat Supply.
$4,000 BOYS NOW MEMBERS

Work OF encouraging 1oun9 FARMERS
Has Grown Rapidly In Few
Years-Two Methods Of
Financing Followed.
Since hogs afford the quickest
means Of increasing our meat supply
continued and extended efforts Of pub
llc-Splrited bankers in furtherlng the
organization Of pig clubs by advancing
to club members the money needed for
the purchase Of purebred sow pigs is
dOubly desirable at this time accord
ing to Uncle Sans agricultural eZ.
pertS.
Pig clubs have increased very rap.
idly during the past seven years the
specialists point out. In 1910 there
were 80 members in the United States;
today the number exceeds 10000,
found principally in Arkansas, Ala
bama. California, North Carolina
Louisiana, Georgia, Texas, Oregon
Oklahoma, Nebraska, Kentucky Iudi.
ana, and Massachusetts These states
contained 2iG72 members last year
but pig clubs are being formed rapidly
in other states. The demand for gifts
and bred gifts by club members is uu.
precedented, even at the high prices
at which they are held.
Financial assistance to the pig club
members has been the means Of intro
duclng purebred hogs i'm places where
otherwise this might have been i'm
possible, and has helped to build up
the agriculture of the communities
which the banks serve. These clubs
stand not alone for greater pork pro
duction. BY increasing the amount Of
live stock they encourage the produc
ton of much of the feed on the farm,
and as their activities are coincident
with or follow club work in the grow
ing Of corn and forage crops, they are
part Of a system that fayors a sound
diversity in agriculture and a rotation
Of crops that will maintain the fertili-
ty Of the soil.
Two Plans Followed.
Two plans have been followed by
bankers in providing the SOW pigs
necessary to enable the boys and girls
to engage in pig work. One method
is the so-called promissory note plan.
The banker makes individual con.
tracts with the pig club members. In
each case he agrees to lend them a
certain sum of money at per cent
interest for one year, or longer II
necessary. The member agrees 10
keep up membership In pig club, t,
invest the loan under the direction Of
the county agent or county club rep
resentative, and to repay 1t at ma
turity out of the proceeds Of the sale
of the original stock or the Increase
As security for the loan, the banker
takes the members prOmissOry note
The members parent consents to the
COuIluCli III NllJllS, anu dSlN'o hOI "
claim any right in the pigs purchased
or their proceeds.
The other method is called the "end'
less-chain" plan. This also involves
individual contracts. The banker
agrees to furnish a registered sow pig
The boy or girl agrees to join a local
pig club, obey its rules, care for the
sow according to Instructions, breed
her at not less than eight months Of
age to a registered boar Of the same
breed, raise the litter according to
the rules Of the club and deliver TO
the banker two choice gifts (not less
than eight weeks Old from the first
litter. The member agrees also to
take out registration papers for all the
first litter pigs not sold for immediate
slaughter. When these agreements are
met, the original SOW and the remaining
pigs become the members property
If the member is unable to return two
SOW pigs out Of the first litter the
agreement continues until this is pos.
slble. II the original SOW dies before
farrowlng healthy litter the banker
bears the loss. If the member does
not fulfill all agreements, rights to
the sow and her progeny are forfeited.
The parent agrees to the contract
in writing, and acknowledges that the
sow and increase shall belong to the
boy or girl.
Endless Chain Established.
When the banker receives the two
SOW pigs from the member and puts
them out with other boys or girls un.
der the same agreement, the endless
chain feature Of the activities Is set IN
motion. This plan may be varied in
details to suit conditions. For IN.
stance, the banker may require the re-
turn Of only one SOW pig, and stipulate
that the boy or girl must join n corn
or peanut club, raise at least half an
acre Of green feed, and exhibit the sow
and her offspring at the county fair
or livestock show.
Under similar arrangements, boys
have received calves to raise, and both
boys and girls have received eggs Of
chickens for Matching,