6 FORAGE CEOPS FOR HOGS IN KANSAS AND OKLAHOMA. 



Oklalioina along the river valleys and in northern Oklahoma and 

 southern Kansas the farmers are favored with a soil and climate 

 that make it possible to produce pork very cheaply. The mildness 

 of the climate makes it unnecessary to build as expensive shelters for 

 hogs in winter as are required farther north, and the open and short 

 winters make it possible to furnish pasture during a greater portion 

 of the year, thus lessening the amount of grain which it is necessary 

 to feed. The main pasture crops for hogs in this region are alfalfa, 

 wheat, oats, and rye, ranking in importance in the order named. 



ALFALFA. 



It is the testimony of 95 per cent of the farmers interviewed in this 

 region that there is no better pasture for hogs than alfalfa, where it 

 can be grown successfully. Those who have failed with it as pasture 

 owe their failure to two causes. First, the alfalfa has been pastured 

 before it has become well rooted. Young alfalfa is too tender a plant 

 to stand severe treatment except under very favorable circumstances. 

 There are a few farmers who have pastured it the same year it was 

 sown and the alfalfa has survived, but this was on rich, heavy loam 

 soil, usually creek bottom or river valley land with water not far 

 below the surface, and the season was very favorable. Ordinarily 

 alfalfa should not be pastured until the second year, and better still 

 not until the third year if it is desired to keep the field as permanent 

 pasture. 



The second cause of failure with alfalfa is heavy pasturing and 

 lack of judgment in pasturing in unfavorable seasons. A good many 

 farmers have sown a small piece of alfalfa, and then because it has 

 grown rapidly and all kinds of stock are fond of it they have turned 

 all the stock on the farm on it and have wondered why their alfalfa 

 Avas killed out. Others pasture regardless of whether the ground is 

 muddy or whether the season is dry and hot. In either case heavy 

 pasturing is very likely to cause the alfalfa to be killed out. 



ALFALFA PASTURES. 



As to the amount of pasturage or the number of hogs alfalfa will 

 carry per acre without injury to the crop, the estimates given by 

 farmers vary considerably, depending on the kind of soil, the fertil- 

 ity of the land, and the size of the hogs pastured. The following, 

 however, is a safe average estimate as given by conservative men who 

 have had much experience. River valley and creek bottom land well 

 set in alfalfa will carry from 15 to 20 head per acre of 50 to 125 



111— IV 



