The Colorado statesman., 1917-06-16
Uncle Sans Agricultural Experts
Seek Increase in Country's
Meat Supply.
$4,000 BOYS NOW MEMBERS
Work of Encouraging Young Farmers
Has Grown Rapidly in Few
Years-Two Methods of
Financing Followed.


means of increasing our meat supply,
continued and extended efforts of pub
lic-spirited bankers in furthering 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 ex-
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, Indi-
ana, and Massachusetts. These states
contained 21,673 members last year,
but pig clubs are being formed rapidly
in other states. The demand for gifts
and bred gifts by club members is un-
precedented, even at the high prices
at which they are held.
Financial assistance to the pig club
members has been the means of intro
ducing purebred hogs in 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 favors sound
diversity in agriculture and 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
certain sum of money at G per cent
interest for one year, or longer If
necessary. The member agrees 70
keep up a membership in a 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
contract, in writing and agrees not to
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 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
sible. If the original sow dies before
narrowing a 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 I'M
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 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
purebred chickens for Matching.
1t is urged by Uncle Sans experts
that bankers in the South who have
taken part in these projects hereto
fore continue their aid, and others,
both in the North and in the South.
take up the work, as it is a patriotic
duty at this time to increase the ma
.;o,-. e,nr1xy nf food