The Benson signal., 1918-04-13
PIG CLUBS BEST
FOR TOWN YOUTH
Boys and Girls Have a Part in
This Food-P Producing, Money
Making Enterprise.
GOOD USE OF TABLE WASTES
Four Plans of Work Available Out
ined-Pork Produced Will Aid
Poor Families in Combating
High Cost of Living.

Two hundred thousand boys and
girls wanted to grow pork in pig clubs
this year:
You can figure the contribution such
a pig-raising army, might make to the
meat supply by what $4,000 members
produced last year-approximately 1O,-
100000 pounds of dressed pork. That
contribution means that the pig clubs
have an important part in the more
meat program and specialists of. the
United States department of agricul-
ture, aided by state club leaders, are
endeavoring to reach the 100000 goal
in membership this year.
The boys and girls are responding to
the appeal of the state and federal
workers assigned to club work, and
indications now are that the goal will
be attained. Bankers are helping large
numbers of worthy boys and girls to
buy pigs and are finding it most sue
cessful enterprise. The note of pig
club member always can be rated as
"gilt-edged" security, it is said.
/, Formation of Clubs.
The pig clubs are conducted cooper
atively by the state extension forces
and the United States department of
agriculture. Boys and girls who wish
to join a club should consult their
county agent or write to the Director
Of Extension at their State Agricul-
Iural College. The boys and girls are
organized into clubs and suitable focal
leaders secured. The members are
aided in securing pigs; given instruc-
ton in the proper care, feed and man
agement of swine, and at the close
of the season the members compete
for prizes for the best work. These
prizes usually are Of an educational
nature, such as trip to the state fair
or farmers short course. E
The children of the farms are not
the only ones who are aiding in the in
creased production campaign. Clubs
have been organized in many towns
and city suburbs, where the boards of
health give permission. The pigs kept
in the towns are fed very largely on
table wastes, etc., so the grain con-
sumed and the cost of production will
both be small.
There are four plans Of work avail
able for pig club members. The first
is the feeding phase, which consists of
fattening one or more pigs to a mar
ketable size. The second is the breed
ing phase where q well-bred weanling
pig is raised until it is Of suitable age
to start producing. Then there is the
SOW and litter phase where the club
member cares for sow and her litter
of pigs. This phase is not suitable for
boys and girls who have not had ex-
perience in handling swine. For mem
bers with good training and experience
there is the herd phase where they
take charge Of all the hogs on the
farm.
The work in the towns and suburbs
is practically limited to the feeding
phase. The pork produced by these
boys and girls, besides helping to meet
the urgent need for pork and pork
products, will also aid many Of the
poor families in combating the high
cost of living.
Besides the direct increase in the
meat supply from the club members
pigs, the patriotic spirit which the
members universally show is inspiring
thousands of farmers to increase their
production where other appeals have