216 



STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



siderably when turned in on roots in this way unless considerable dry feed is 

 given the first few days. Butcher hogs come off this kind of feed paunchy and 

 require three or four weeks grain feeding to fit them for market. This method 

 should bring breeding stocks into winter conditions in strong vigorous shape. 

 The pigs will dig all roots out even to the very tips, unless the ground freezes. 

 We did not use sufficient hogs in these tests, nor turn them in quite early enough. 

 Maintenance of Brood Boxes on June Grass and Rape. JDO'f. — It is now generally 

 conceded that it is very desirable to keep brood sows on pasture and forage crops 

 as much as possible during the .growing season. There are two reasons why 

 this practice is desirable; in the first place it is the cheapest food of maintenance, 

 and in the second place, the exercise required to secure the food and the fresh 

 air and sunshine, are conducive to physical conditions favorable to the production 

 of litters of strong, vigorous pigs. Owing, however, to the bulkiness and watery 

 condition of these foods, care should be taken to supply, in addition, some sub- 

 stanial grain foods or mill by-products, as the period of pregnancy advances. The 

 following very satisfactory results have been secured from the maintenance of 

 brood sows on June grass followed by rape. 



WEIGHTS OF FIVE DRY SOWS DURING TEST OF 105 DAYS. 



Poland China 



Old Tarn worth 



Poland China No. 1 

 Poland China No. 2 

 Poland China No. 3 



Gain 



or 



loss. 



—6.6 

 + 13.6 

 —14 

 + 15 



—6 



These five sows were turned on .Tune grass May 27, 1904, rape July 9th, June 

 grass again July 25th, and returned to rape August 6th, where they remained 

 till September 9th, in all covering a period of 105 days. No grain or supple- 

 mentary feed of any sort was given during the entire period, though the sows had 

 access to water and shade. During these 105 days there was an increase of two 

 pounds in the weight of the bunch. Owing to the smallness of this gain the only 

 inference we can make is that June grass and rape provide only for the main- 

 tenance of these animals. The shortness and dryness of the June grass toward the 

 end of the period, ending June 9th, accounts for the slight shrinkage at that time. 



