15G Bureau of Farmers' Institutes. 



feet. The food has been corn meal and buckwheat middlings 

 wet with whey, corn in the ear, with, occasionally, a feed of whole 

 oats. 



Dr. Smead. — That is quite a problem. Did any of those 

 pigs die? 



No answer. 



Dr. Smead. — The pigs were attacked with rheumatic fever. 

 They are more subject to rheumatism than is the human being, 

 but, as a rule, they are the most neglected animals on the farm. 

 The whole cause of the trouble with those pigs was mismanagement. 

 The disposition of the hog is to eat more than he needs. He is 

 simply a hog, and, when one eats all he can hold, if another hog 

 is added and fed, he will get up and eat more, just to get it 

 away from the other hog. Overfeeding with improper foods 

 causes the disease. Do not feed carbonaceous foods. Keep the 

 pigs growing and give them a warm, dry place to sleep. Scatter 

 a little corn in the litter and make the pig hunt for it. Eliminate 

 dampness. Too many farmers keep their pigs in the basement 

 of their barns. Make the hog-pen warm, clean and light. Do 

 not think the hog can stand cold. You will always find him seek- 

 ing a warm nest. I should change the wheat bran to wheat mid- 

 dlings, and reduce the corn meal ration somewhat. Wheat bran 

 is not as readily digested by the pig as are the middlings. 



Question. — Can we afford to make pork at four cents a pound; 

 if so, how can it be done? 



Mr. Chapman. — I think it can be done if the conditions are 

 favorable. I should want a thrifty pig, one that will grow and 

 fatten rapidly. Sell them at 150 pounds. The first 100 pounds 

 can be made the cheapest. Feed corn meal with skim milk, 

 gradually increasing the quantity of meal. Do not feed in this 

 manner if growing pigs for breeders. 



Mr. Smith.- — Pigs at that weight will sell readily at a greater 

 price than four cents. Skim milk thus fed is worth 25 or 30 cents 

 a hundred pounds. 



Mr. Woodward. — A pound of pork can be made very cheaply 

 upon rape. Have your land rich; sow rape in the spring as soon 

 as the ground can be worked. Sow in drills 20 inches apart; 

 cultivating once or twice, and when six inches high turn in your 

 pigs. The more it is eaten the more it will grow. Sow only the 

 Dwarf Essex variety, two pounds if in drills, or four pounds, if 

 broadcast. 



