Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1917-06-09
NATIONS BANKERS TO
HELP BOYS RAISE pigs

Washington, June s.-Since hogs
afford the quickest means of Increasing
our meat supply, continued and extend.
ed efforts Of public spirited bankers in
furthering the organization Of pig clubs
by advancing to club members the
money needed for the purchase of pure.
bred SOW pigs is doubly desirable at this
time, according to the United States
Department of Agriculture.
Pig clubs have increased very rapid
ly during the past seven years the spec
ialists point out. In 1919 there were
50 members in the United States; today
the number exceeds 10000, found prin,
cipally in Arkansas, Alabama, Califor-
mia, North Carolina, Louisiana, Georgia,
Texas, Oregon. Oklahoma, Nebraska.
Kentucky, Indiana 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 mem-
bers is unprecedented, even at the high
prices at which they are held.
Financial assistance to the pip club
members has been the means Of intro
ducing purebred hogs in places where
otherwise this might have been impos.
sible, and has helped to build up the
agriculture OF the communities which
the banks serve. These clubs stand not
alone for greater pork production By
increasing the amount of livestock they
encourage the production of much of the
feed on the farm, and as their activities
are coincident with or follow club work
in the growing of corn md forage crops,
they are part of system that favors
a sound diversity in agriculture and a
rotation of crops that will maintain the
fertility of the soil.
Two plans have been followed by
bankers in providing the sow pigs ne
cessary to enable the boys and girls to
engage in pig club work One method
is the so-called promissory note plan.
The banker makes individual contracts
with the pig club members. In each case
he agrees to lend them certain sum of
money at = per cent interest for one
year, or longer il necessary, The mem
Der agrees to keep up membership in
a pig club, to invest the loan under the
direction Of the county agent club re-
preventative, and to repay il at ma
turity out of the proceeds of the sale
VI tic OAiSlHCl 6tOth VI thU tnChCNHCs
As security for the loan, the banker
takes the members promissory note.
The member Is parent consents 10 the
contract, in writing, and agrees not to
claim any right in the pigs purchased
or their proceeds.
The other method is called the tend
less chain" plan. This also involves in
dividual contracts. The banker agrees
to furnish registered sow pig. The
boy or girl agrees to join local pig
club, obey its rules, care for the sow ac-
eording to instructions, breed her at not
less than eight months of age to regis
teerd 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 cut registration papers for
all the first litter pigs not sold for inn
mediate slaughter. When these agree
ments are met, the original sow and the
remaining pigs become the member 3
property. If the member is unable to
return two sow pigs out of the first lit
ter the agreement continues until this
is possible. If the original SOW dies be-
fore narrowing litter the banker bears
the loss. If the member does not fulfill
all agreementsy 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 beleug to the boy or girl.
When the banker receives the two sow
pigs from the member and puts them out
with other boys or girls the same agree
ment, the endless chain feature of the
activities is set in motion.
This plan may be varied to suit con
ditions. For instance, the banker may
require the return of only one sow pig,
and stipulates 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 boys