3
Important Hog Breeding Hints
HOME AND FARM MAGAZINE SECTION
BY JOIIX UNDERWOOD.
In Illinois Hog Kaiser.
THE ultimate end of hog raising Is
the pork barrel and the quicker
the growth to market maturity
the greater the profit for the owner.
There are two essential factors to be
considered by every farmer who raises
hogs. First, the breeding of a type
that has the power of applying food
to the laying on of muscle and fat
and will provide a maximum amount
of choice meat at a minimum cost.
Second, the feeding of the proper
kinds and amounts of food to obtain
the desired results. It may be said
that one of these factors is as essen
tial as-the other.
There are in hogdnm several rec
ognized breeds but all may be satis
factorily placed in one or the other
of the two great classes, the bacon
hog and the lard hog. Each has a
distinct purpose to perform which
has been brought about by breeding
and artificial conditions together
with the natural cause, the different
kinds of food found In different parts
of the country, but In the corn belt
the prevailing type Is the large early
maturing lard hog. These hogs ma
ture at from 600 to 700 pounds and
with proper care weigh 250 pounds at
seven months and about 300 pounds
at nine months of age. By some this
type is designated the medium type
and by others as the large, smooth
type, which means practically the
same. The pure bred breeder caters
to the farmer, the farmer depends
upon the packer and the packer pays
the best average prices for young
hogs finished )n prime condition
weighing 250 to 300 pounds.
Qimlity Is Demanded.
Tho packer demands quality, the
farmer seeks prolificacy and size com
bined with easy feeding qualities and
by studying the characteristics of all
the lard hog breeds it will be found
that the pure bred breeder is supply
ing these demands. Great care should
be taken in selecting the foundation
for the breeding stock.
Whatever breed a man select It
should in all cases be bred pure. It
is indeed a poor practice to cross
this year with one breed, next year
with another and the next with some
thing else. Is it not a fact that a
nice bunch of black pigs as even as
pdssible In size present a more pleas
ing picture than an equal number of
ring streaked and speckled ones.
Some Bay that a cross bred animal Is
a better feeder than a pure bred.
This Is surely a mistake. I believe
those who cross their hogs are intelli
gent men and think cross breeding is
the proper thing to do simply because
they have never tried any other meth
od. After a number of years of ex
perience with pure bred hogs I cer
tainly would not go back to tho cross
breds If I were only raising them to
supply meat for family use. Many
farmers seem to think that breeders
are getting pure bred hogs bred down
too fine with bone too small and too
short bodied. True, some breeders
lay more stress on size of ear and
length of snout and the curl of the
tall than they do on bone length and
Quality, but not all. Those minor
points are all right if quality is not
sacrificed for them. There Is a good
deal of difference of opinion among
breeders themselves as to what an
Ideal hog Is. Any man can very near
ly get the exact type of hog he pre
fers without mixing up the various
breeds.
Crow Breeding.
Another argument some use for
Crossing Is that they think pure bred
sows do not farrow enough pigs.
Now which is it that counts for most,
the number of pigs that a sow far
rows or the number she is capable of
raising well? In my actual personal
experience I have gotten larger litters
and raised a much larger per cent of
pigs farrowed from pure bred sows
than I ever did from grades. I have
had pure bred farrows that weighed
285 pounds at seven months old and
out of litters where the sows raised
10 to 12 pigs each. I can think of
no reason why every farmer who
raises hogs should not keep pure
breds. Pick the breed you like best
and when you get a sow that raises
good, uniform litters, by all means
keep her. Give her extra care, for
one such sow Is worth two or three
grades. I believe one reason a good
many farmers mix their hogs Is be
cause they have something that is not
doing right and cross them to try to
overcome the evil. Sometimes one
outcross will Improve the herd but if
they had looked around a little it is
more than probable they could have
found something of the same breed
that would have corrected the evil
Just as well and still left the herd
pure.
I'sing One Type.
There are enough different types
In any one of the breeds to correct
almost any fault that comes up if
proper care is used in mating without
any outside crossing.
If a man raises two litters of pigs
a year one litter should come about
the middle of March and the other
not later than October 10. I have
had men tell me that they could not
raise two litters a year at a profit;
the Fall pigs, they said, being too ex
pensive and troublesome. In my ex
perience of several years In raising
two litters annually, I have always
been able to bring the Fall litters
through in fine shape at a handsome
profit. The sow Is able to raise two
litters a year and I can find no reason
why this practice should not be gen
erally adopted. Let me make one
more suggestion. Many of us are in
too much of a hurry, as a rule, to
breed our sows. A sow should not
be bred until near the middle of the
period, which usually lasts three days
although I have known them to be
In barely 24 hours. A sow that is
bred very early or very late In the
period Is apt to bring few pigs. It
will pay to bear this in mind.
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-.1
Using Turnips as
a Feed for Sheep
BY, DAVID EVAN'S.
TURNIPS of many varieties play an
important part in the sheep hus
bandry of New Zealand, and where
climatic conditions are so pre-eminently
suited to the growth of root
crops of all kinds It can be expected
that very heavy yields per acre are
the result.
Root crops are the "stand-by" of
"Insurance" of the New Zealand sheep
farmer and naturally add greatly to
the carrying capacity of his lnnds. In
fact he is not looked upon as up-to-date
unless he prepares this root
crop for his sheep and cattle.
While the Isle of Angelsea in North
Wales is considered to be the best
root-growing country in Britain, It is
doubtful if they can show the weight
per acre that is sometimes grown In
New Zealand. It is true that much of
the turnips grown In New Zealand Is
grown upon virgin soil and on this
newly broken land roots are gener
ally the first crop taken off and their
methods of growing them are crude.
When the land not by any means
always level is cleared of stumps,
plowed and harrowed, the turnips are
merely drilled in like any grain crop
and Nature does the rest. This is as
I have said on new country. At the
same time In the older farming dis
tricts of the South Island, especially
where the land has been under culti
vation for a long time, different
methods are used approaching those
used in England, where the land Is
carefully cultivated and fertilized
and sometimes ridged.
Sooner or later In the Fall, It de
pends on the season, sheep by the
thousands are fenced in on these tur
nips with temporary fences that are
moved from time to time as the roots
are eaten off.
As a rule turnips are augmented
with hay placed In racks at different
Senators, Congressmen and
others in the prominent walks
of life chew tobacco. With
them it is not a question of
economy but of pleasure
The great American custom
tobacco chewing has its de
votees among men of all clas
sesand the national chew is
good old dependable
$4
STAR
CHEWING
TOBACCO
A little nibble now and then
It welcomed by the beet of men.
' - ... jD-'
' ' V 'TtiLfrm' irtj VjH tim
parts of the field or paddocks as
they are called. Of course, it is only
young sheep and sheep that are being
fattened that are fed on turnips. It
goes without saying that sheep do
get very fat on roots and hay with
out the addition of any other feed.
It Is true the New Zealand sheep
farmer has a great advantage in
climate as he never has to worry
about his root crop freezing. This
system of hurdling or fencing sheep
on turnips could not be adopted here
except In those sections where it does
not freeze, such as the Willamette
Valley In Oregon or in sections of the
South.
One drawback to feeding lambs on
turnips In this manner is that it In
jures their teeth and this contingency
has to be watched for very closely.
Especially does it affect the' teeth
where hard varieties of turnips are
fed. Usually when the teeth become
loose the farmer puts the sheep on,
barley or Winter oats. He then se
lects a band of older sheep to feed off
the turnips.
Smiling Skits.
Smiling skies are o'er us, dear,
Sorrow is asleep;
Life and love are with us her.
Yet the skies can weep.
I am gazing In your eyes
Eyes of tender blue
My heart's joy within them lies.
Can they be untrue?
Like a mirror is the Bea,
Her deep, vibrant tone
Brings fresh strength and hope to ma,
Yet the sea can moan,
After crushing grief that Bears
Loneliness and pain
After floods of bitter tears
Skies mav smile again.
Belle Willey Cue, in L. A. Times.
FARMS
100 acres Willamette River bottom land lying right on the river.
Boat landing on the place. 38 miles from Portland. 12 miles from
Knlem S miles tn Oregon Electric. Two eood houses: large, new
barti on concrete foundation. Other outbuildings. Woven wire fences. No rock or gravel. Soil is un
usually rich. Will grow alfalfa, com and onions and, in fact, anything that is grown in the State of
Oregon. Soil Is warm, therefore has an early crop. Grass in great abundance. Just the iaee for hogs
and cattle. The price has been $12,000, and is cheap at that. The owner is hard pressed for money, and
In order to make a quick turn will let ..it go for $9000. $2500 cash, and the balance on time at 6 per
cent interest,
ALSO
68 acres on the river, close to above. Has large three-story barn, with hay fork and track; steel
stanchions for 15 cows, with concrete flooring; is partitioned off for horses, hogs and calves: cement
dipping tank, two good houses and other outbuildings. Price $5500. Worth $9000. $2000 cash will handle.
ALSO
80 acres under woven wire fence. Very rich soil, Biiltable for garden trucking, nursery stock or general
farming. This land should produce a good revenue In a few years. It Is now used for pasturage, grass
growing in great abundance. Has scattering maple and alder trees, with some brush, but is easily
cleared. Lies on county road and close to school. Price $5000. $2000 will handle.
The above properties are owned by one person who might accept some exchange In the Willamette
Valley, providing the properties are put in at market values No inflated values considered. Must have
'the stated cash on each piece in order to make a deal.
TO TRADE FOR A WILLAMETTE VALLEY FARM
A -fine ranch of 66 ncres, 25 miles southeast of Spokane, in Palouse country, on electric line. 25 acres
in 6-year-old apple trees, 6 acres In 3-year-old trees, 5 ncres in pears apricots ami peaches, and 6 acres
In apple orchard, bearing heavily. ISalance of land under cultivation. Excellent fences. Close to town.
IIouso modern, with fireplace and nil built-in effects. Excellent barn and all outbuildings. This place
is well kept and Is a money producer. The owner is anxious to locate In the Willamette Valley, as his
relatives are in that district. His price Is $16,250. Will tRke $ir00 cash and an Improved farm in the
Willamette Valley for the balance or a hardware stock In the same district.
SUBURBAN RANCH CLOSE TO PORTLAND
41 acres just outside city limits of Heaveiton, excellent soil, for which Beaverton is noted. Woven wire
fence and cross-fence. 5 acres In full-bearing orchard, consisting of SpitzenburKh and Northern Spy. All
kinds of berries. Has goud five-room house, excellent barn, 40x44, and all outbuilding". Has good well
and pump. City water piped In front of the place. One acre sold from farm this Kali for $1000. Price
is $2o,T00. . Will trado for a dairy farm in the Willamette Valley up to the full amount.
JOHN E. HOWARD, 309 Chamber of Commerce, Portland, Or.