farmers' institutes. 283 



providing them with clover pasture instead of requiring them to run on 

 bluegrass. Unfortunately some of our farmers require their pigs to 

 graze on timothy which is not as good as bluegrass even. I do not 

 take the position that blue grass is not a good pasture, even for hogs — on 

 the contrary it is the best grass for this purpose we have — ^but the clovers 

 are far superior to any grass for this purpose, both in point of yield and 

 in feeding value. 



The high feeding value of rape as compared with bluegrass is of in 

 terest to every hog grower. It will be noted that the cost of gain where 

 rape was used was about 45c a hundred less than where bluegrass was 

 used. As has been pointed out, rape is one of the most productive green 

 forage crops we have and may be grown at comparatively little expense 

 and is practically a certain crop and must in the light of these experi- 

 ments prove highly profitable to the hog raiser. Abundant experience 

 shows that rape has even a higher value for sheep than for hogs. 



A SUCCESSION OF PASTURE FOR HOGS. 



Jt is not safe or even desirable to rely upon a single crop to furnish 

 pasture for our hogs throughout the entire season. It is better to ar- 

 range for a succession of pastures fom the beginning of the season until 

 the hogs are ready for market, making the feed richer and more concen- 

 trated toward the close of the season and as we approach the finishing 

 of fattening period. For this purpose the following crops are recom- 

 mended. 



Red clover or alfalfa. 



Rape. 



Cowpeas. 



Soy beans. 



RED CLOVER OR ALFALFA. 



On lands adapted to alfalfa it will undoubtedly prove to be better 

 for hogs than red clover, inasmuch as it will produce a larger quantity 

 of feed of a somewhat higher value. Inasmuch as we have not yet 

 learned to grow alfalfa successfully on the majority of our upland clay 

 soils, we shall be forced to rely chiefly upon clover. It starts earlier in the 

 spring than any hog pasture we have excepting alfalfa, and would, 

 therefore, be used first, and should be used as long as it is succulent and 

 palatable. Usually not later than the middle of June the crop will have 

 become so mature that the hogs, will relish a change for the time being, 

 and the surplus clover should be cut and removed so as to allow the 

 second or fall crop to start promptly. 



