DEPARTMENT REPORTS. 29 



A system of rigid selection and metliodioal feeding has been estab- 

 lished in connection with the dairy herd and a number of the Holstein 

 cows recorded in the "Advanced Registry." The effort in fntnre will be 

 to breed none but the best and make a careful study of economic 

 production. 



The pig breeding and feeding was confined almost solely to some cots 

 and hog lots on a side hill near the river. The old hog house had been 

 abandoned. 



In December, 1902, the work of reconstructing the old pig^ry began. 

 The building is 84x80 feet. The entire inner structure and^ld cement 

 floor which was badly broken up, w^ere both torn out. In relaying the 

 floor a passageway feet wide was put down through the center of the 

 building, leaving fourteen feet on each side for pens; in this 14 feet from 

 the passageway to the outside a fall of two inches was given in laying 

 the cement. The reconstruction provides four pens r>i/^xl4 feet; four 

 pens 81/0x14 feet; two pens 10x14 feet on one side and on the other seven 

 penp 8x14 feet a feed room 14x1 G feet and room for dipping 8x14 feet. 

 Access to yards is being provided for each pen. Scales for weighing 

 feed and pigs were set in the passageway near the feed room, w^hich is in 

 the center of the building. Both doors and ventilators are operated from 

 the passageway. Swinging wooden front sections have been put in the 

 pens to shut the pigs out of the trough while feeding. Over-lays con- 

 structed from cheap inch lumber were used during the winter tt) keep 

 the young pigs from bedding down on the cold cement; these gave ex- 

 cellent satisfaction. 



A large portion of the area lying between the piggery, river and 

 poultry house has been refenced to provide grazing lots for pigs. In 

 these soy beans, rape, succotash, rye, peas, sugar beets and permanent 

 pasture are being grown. The purpose is to attempt to provide forage 

 crops for the swine thoughout as much of the year as possible. The 

 new equipment, though still incomplete, is giving perfect satisfaction 

 and will enable us to build up a good strong breeding and feeding es- 

 tablishment in which all the leading breeds are to be represented. 



The fences adjacent to the farm buildings enclosing the lots used by 

 cattle and swine, were badly in need of rebuilding. One hundred and 

 ninety rods of this yard fencing has been replaced and somewhat rear- 

 ranged with a view to greater convenience. Many of the farm fences 

 will soon have to be replaced. Though apparently in fair condition, close 

 examination reveals a large number of posts almost rotted off and the 

 oldest woven wire so badly rusted that it cannot be used much longer. 



Three yards have been constructed on the east side of the new dairy 

 barn for bulls. These enclosures consist of tight board fence six feet in 

 heighth. Hitherto the bulls housed in the dairy barn have not had 

 access to yardage. 



A large amount of grading has been done around the dairy barns. 

 There being no natural drainage the yards were in bad condition during 

 the entire winter and spring. The top of the hill l^'ing between the barn 

 and river has been removed and used to fill in between the gangway 

 and the foreman's house where water accumulated. Eave troughs have 

 also been placed on the dairy and grade herd barns with tile connection 

 to remove the water. These changes have made the yards dry, useful 

 and more sightly. 



