Feeding Pigs. 



On account of the extremely low price of wheat fort he past 

 year a great deal more has been fed to stock than usual, and by men 

 who have had little or no experience in feeding it. In the feeding 

 of wheat as in every other new departure, the lack of facts and 

 reliable data concerning the results of previous work in this line 

 frequently hindered those who had wheat to feed, from obtaining 

 the best results under the circumstances. Particularly was a com- 

 parison of the feeding value of wheat with one or more of the most 

 common foods needed to help those to compound a ration who 

 have little knowledge of the chemical composition of feeding stuffs. 

 Until quite recently, comparatively few experiments have been 

 made to determine the feeding value of wheat because the price 

 for flouring purposes prevented its use as a food for animals in a 

 practical way. Now, however, many farmers who raise wheat are 

 confronted with the problem, " can I afford to sell wheat at the 

 market price and buy food for stock ? " Of course the character 

 and quantity of the coarse fodder to be fed in connection with the 

 grain, should determine largely whether wheat is the most econo- 

 mical of the concentrated foods to feed with it, but aside from this 

 the question of selling wheat and buying corn meal, oats and bran 

 has been one not easy to solve by those confronted with it. It has 

 been said that farmers in this State should not raise wheat ; that at 

 the present prices it can be purchased in the market cheaper than 

 it can be grown on the improved land with high priced labor. 

 While this may be true to a great extent, the fact still remains that 

 this crop has taken its turn in the regular four or five years' rota- 

 tion and can not be left out without changing the whole system of 

 farming. In many instances no doubt, the system will eventually 

 be changed, but it will take several years to bring it about. 

 Farmers as a rule are conservative and hesitate to try new depart- 

 ures except in a small way at tirst. This will be a great influence 



