FARMERS INSTITUTES. 



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alfalfa fed in racks, and corn, gave better results than alfalfa cut and 

 wetted and meal added. The Nevada Station found results in feeding 

 three lots of pigs, carefully selected for uniformity, four in each lot on 

 alfalfa hay and other combinations as follows : 



While hay alone was fed at a loss of four and a half pounds in 21 

 days, turnips and alfalfa made a slight gain, but when the ration was 

 made richer and of great variety the gain was over one pound per day 

 for each pig. 



Every experiment and all the experiences of farmers attest the value 

 of a variety of feeds, still a large per cent of farmers make no sort of 

 efifort to provide such variety. When it is remembered that in many 

 cases the variety may be supplied by utilizing feed stuffs that hogs do 

 not ordinarily eat and which are of comparatively little value, the im- 

 portance of the proposition becomes doubly valuable. For instance, com 

 stalks cut at proper stage made into ensilage may be used by pigs with 

 wonderful benefit. 



VALUE OF PASTURE FOR PIGS. 



We will now state two propositions bearing on economy of produc- 

 tion, first, while the pig is not considered primarily a grazier animal, from 

 the fact that he cannot be expected to make gains and grow fat if turned 

 onto common pasture grass like cattle, sheep or mules, yet as a matter 

 of fact the pig will make better returns for the amount of grass eaten 

 than any other farm animal. Moreover, the pasture will increase the 

 efficiency and value of the grain fed in connection with it. The second 

 proposition is this : the pig is a gross feeder and will eat too much of 

 rich feeds, as grain, more than he can use economically, more than he 

 can digest well, consequently greater gains from a given amount of 

 corn are obtained if the pig is fed less than he can or will eat. This 

 statement applies with special force in cases of a long feeding period. 

 The two propositions just announced are brought out in the following 

 table : 



