The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-06-09
BY WILLIAM q. sANRoRN


Every farmer has a number of fac
tories and power plants to keep run
ming, and the better and more scien-
tifically he manages them the great
er the economy and the larger and
more profitable his output. The far
mer's most important power plant is
the gift Of nature But it is by no
means free gift, nor is 1t eyer-dur-
able. We call this power plant a
horse" but 1t is, nevertheless, mo-
tor and Is bred and kept for power;
otherwise the farm horse is forever
doomed.
Now a motor, in order to run, must
be supplied with the kind Of fuel 1t
was built to operate with-just that
kind and no other, for best results.
More than this it must be supplied
this fuel in sufficient quantity, and
this is also true as to the horse with
reference to the food furnished and
the care given to his upkeep. The
horse is a power plant which is ex-
pressive of intelligence and often also
of affection and loyalty. The horse
is entitled to proper care, generous
feeding and kindly treatment. He is
neither to be abused, overloaded or
oyerworked, for the "Merciful man is
mereiful to his beast" and this broad
ly applies to every animal on the
farm as to proper feeding, shade pro-
lection and winter shelter.
About Our Farm Factories.
The farm factories are not run on
an eight-hour basis; they never close
down. Among the most important Of
these is our friend, the hog. Some
day, somewhere, another James Whit.
comb Riley will write poem dedicated
to the hog, and those who can't sing
will at least whistle it, when set to
music. Mayhap they will dramatic
the hog for the movies and have Jazz
bands and big drums to pound out his
praises.
But in any event the hog is a factory
from which Is turned out chops, pork
roasts,, hams, bacon and lard as the
principal products. with sausage, head
cheese, picked pigs feet, chittlings,
etc., as by-products. The hog as q
going concern is a great institution.
The hog makes a whole lot of money
for everyone but himself; first the
farmer. then the packer, and finally
the retailer share in the profits OF
this Matchmaking plant, and the con
sumner foots the bill. Oh, yes, GER
tainly we admit that the consumer
gets the output of this meat factory
and Is justly entitled to pay the bill
but for heavens sake, gentlemen;
don't stint him too greatly but give
him little more for his money. The
consumer is alright at heart, and he
likes to see each and every farmer
making money. but at the same time
has the very natural desire to be able
to buy a pork roast without being
compelled to go barefoot because Of
this extravaganza.
Scientific Feeding.
Considering the hog as a meat fac
tory lends importance and dignity, not
only to the hog as an investment, but
to the farmer and breeder. The ire
mendously, high prices paid for full
blood hogs of late amply confirms this
view. The hog, as factory, and like
all other factories, consumes and
transforms raw material. And what
raw material? Shall the hog be sup
piled with corn and water only all his
life, with a chance perhaps at the
grass in season; or shall he be sup
piled with mixed material and com
mercial feeds with which he can &C
complish more speedy and economi,
results? This is for the farmer tt
decide, as the owner of the hog, bu
there are a whole lot of US also in
terested in that decision. We all de
sire increased and cheapened pro