The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1918-03-07
From Prof. Henry's "Feed and Feed
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From Prof. Henry's "Fecd and Feed
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Dismiss the idea that profitable hog
raising belongs to the corn belt
Because of the economy with which the
pig converts it's food into edible flesn
this animal steadily increases in impor-
lance as our population becomes more
dense. Practically every farmer should
raise and fatten pigs, for family con-
sumption If not for the market, in order
to profitably conserve valuable nutri-
tive material that would otherwise De
wasted. We should dismiss the idea that
profitable hog raising belongs to the
corn belt only. Denmark raises no com,
yet produces more pork of the highest
quality than any other equal area in the
world. The southern states still buy
vast quantities of pork from the north
despite the fact that their experiment
stations have demonstrated that it can be
produced at lower cost in the SOUTH Pigs
produce a pound of gain from 4 to
pounds of dry matter, while fattening
cattle require from 10 to II pounds. The
pig yields from 70 to so per cent OF his
live weight as dressed carcass; the steer
bly, utilize many by-products of the farm
otherwise lost, such as dairy by-products
and kitchen and garden waste, as well
as grains that cannot otherwise be profit
tably disposed of. No other line Of stock
farming can SO quickly be brought to
profitable production with limited cap1-
tai invested in stock and equipment as
can the making of meat from the pig.
In many cases the grower should not
fnf tc MIC hrIt ole c1q htar
them and market the cured products.
obtaining increased profits even though
the undertaking be small one.
SAVE THE POTATOES
The country produced 442,536.O0O BUSH
els of potatoes in 1917. Due to combina-
ton of reasons this big crop of potatoes
has not moved from the farms to the
consumer in the city in the degree to
generate confidence. Today the farmer
faces heavy losses in his potatoes grown
in 1917 In the face of such losses can
it be expected the farmer will grow big
crop of potatoes in 1918?
The crop estimate for Michigan was
IS, 900, 900 bushels of potatoes: up to De-
cember g. 1917, only 3,5OO.OOO bushels (S774
carloads) had been shipped. OF course,
local markets had been served by wagons
and trucks, but allowing a liberal allow
ance for this business, 1t is safe to say
close to 30,00O,000 bushels remained in
the hands Of farmers on the first of the
year.
The day is not far away when south
ern grown potatoes will enter northern
markets to depreciate the value of old
potatoes. The moment is not far re-
moved when the loss in weight of old
stock will increase by jumps.
When conditions were indeed black for
the potato crop in Michigan an Assoc
ciated Press dispatch told OF bread cards
for Michigan! Thirty million bushels OF
potatoes on hand and talk of bread
cards!
The farmer may as well make up his
mind to save himself and place no de-
pendence on outside help. He has in his
power the means of turning the threat
ened loss into gain by using his potatoes
to produce pork, and, in doing this. bulid
up permanent industry.
Work of the United States department
of agriculture in developing the Gore
process for drying potatoes, and supple
menting this with feeding experiments
by Ashbrook and Gongwer points to the
sure way OF turning potato losses into
profits.
1t is not too late to build the necessary
factories to guard Michigan from great
losses.
Michigan is not alone in facing seri- |
Gus situation with it's potato crop; Wis
consin will have to face and stand big |
losses unless instant provision is made |
to salvage the crop.
LATEST RESULTS
Twelve high-grade Berkshire pigs be-
tween five and six months old, averag-
ing $50 pounds live weight, were fed I
with mixtures of dried potatoes and sub
stances containing protein. to balance
the ration Feeding started September
u, 1916. and ended November Z, 1916, q
period Of Sc days.
Lot was fed corn and substance con-
tanning protein, to check the three lots
Of potato-fed animals.
The dried potato produced a quality
of pork equal in every way to the pork
produced by corn feeding. The dried