No. 7. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, 599 



between walls and well-ventilated, and are plenty warm in winter 

 and cool in summer. 



The sow and litter are fed here till pigs are three months old, 

 when the sow is then removed and the pigs remain till shipped out 

 on orders. By keeping but few together in this manner we can make 

 a better growth than when 50 to lUO are fed together, and there will 

 be no runts among them. When the pigs are old enough to need 

 separating we assort them and place all boars by themselves on 

 (me side of the lane, and all sows on the other. All pigs not good 

 enough for shipping to breeders are fed for the market. 



We feed with a horse and a low wagon only one foot in height, 

 and feed is dii)ped out from the barrels with a long-handled dipper, . 

 and it is reall}- but little work to feed one or two hundred pigs in 

 this manner, being easier than carrying a pail of feed in a hog house. 

 We are satisfied that we get better results in ttis manner than if 

 we kept 100 to 200 hogs and pigs in one house, besides giving them 

 all the advantage of grass and exercise. \\e feed everything quite 

 liberally, and when the young pigs are about three weeks of age and 

 begin to show signs of wanting to eat with their mother, we have 

 a platform 16x16 in the corner of each lot where the litter may go 

 and eat by themselves unmolested by the sow, and in this way we 

 help to push them along till weaned, when they are well on feed and 

 growing rapidly, and never have any setback when the sow is taken 

 away. We often have letters asking the price of pigs six to eight 

 weeks (jf age. We always answer that we do not price any pigs so 

 young, for the reason that a pig taken from its mother at six to 

 eight weeks and shipped to a distant state will certainly get a set- 

 back or check in growth, and growth is what we all want, and as 

 much of it as possible by not sacrificing quality, and to get this we 

 must have no check while young. There are many things to be con- 

 sidered in establishing a herd of pure-bred hogs. First, one must 

 have a taste for the business, and next, he must have a discrimi- 

 nating judgment in selecting his breeders, and then he must make up 

 his mind to give close attention to all details. Start with as good 

 individuals as he can afford to buy, and as well bred "as can be. 

 Besides all this he must be a good feeder, and always have in mind 

 that there is nothing too good for his pigs. He should note carefully 

 each day, and each time he feeds, whether every pig is coming to his 

 feed with a relish or whether only mincing a little and feed only what 

 will be eaten with a relish and eaten clean. Never let a pig be fed 

 so that there will be feed left in his trough after he is done. The 

 feeder should also note the condition of every animal and keep a 

 watch out for lice, or other little troubles, and if he finds that his 

 pigs are lousy he must commence at once and in earnest to rid them 

 of the vermin, or he will soon have a very unthrifty lot of pigs. Sonu> 

 make a practice of sprinkling their pigs with different remedies for 

 this trouble, but one cannot do the work thoroughly enough by 

 sprinkling, and should instead dip them, so that every part of the 

 body will get the benefit. For this use we use a regular dipping 

 tank, about six feet deep and much longer, and set it in the ground 

 so that the top is only a few inches above the level of the ground, and 

 build an incline in which the pigs are driven up till just at the end 

 of the tank, where they slide down and are entirely covered Avith 

 the dip and have to swim out at opposite end. This dipping should 



