478 AGRICULTURAL REPORT. 



Marion, Page, Tauia, Washingtou, Jeffersou, Black Hawk, Lee, Wayne, 

 FreAioiit, Dallas, Jasper, Bremer, Lucas, ami other counties. In some 

 counties the lirst symptoms of the disease manifested themselves by 

 causing extreme drowsiness, followed by severe convulsions. In others 

 the disease commenced with staggering, followed by the inside of the 

 ears and legs turning purple. Thousands of hogs perished; in some 

 sections the loss was at least 35 per cent., while in others it v*'as still 

 greater, not one in fifty rx^coveriug. iS"o remedy for the disease was 

 discovered. 



Mr. C. D. Beemau, contributes a paper on the feeding of hogs, from 

 which the following extract is made : 



Indian com is and must remain the chief food for making pork. Should it bo ground ? 

 The whole average cost of grinding to Iowa farmers, including time and team, would 

 doubtless amount to the value of one-fourth of the grain. Then, will four bushels of 

 nngrouud corn make more pork than three bushels of ground ? Yes, if cooked. And 

 now I desire to give you a plan for properly cooking corn, which is by so cheap a 

 method that it is within the reach of every farmer in the land. Procure a pine plank 

 2 feet wide, cut ofl' two pieces 7 feet long each, for the sides of a box ; two pieces more 

 are now required, each 28 inches long and 20 inches wide, for the ends; bevel the lower 

 side of the end pieces (at an angle of forty-five or more degrees) to au edge ; nail the 

 ends on the side pieces even at the top. Now we have a box, except it has no bottom ; 

 nor are the ends covered, lacking 4 inches on each, but a sheet of Russia iron 8 feet 

 long and 28 inches wide will complete it. Nail it on with two rows of three-penuj' 

 nails, but where the iron laps on the beveled edge of the end boards, put in around 

 the corners a few six-penny nails to prevent breaking the iron in turning a scxuare 

 corner. The iron reaching part way up on each end is to prevent burning away the 

 wood. That the bottom may not sag, put across two bars of one and a half by half 

 inch iron, dividing it into three spaces of 2J feet each. 



Such a box will hold 24 bushels, but 8 bushels of dry corn will swell to fill it when 

 cooked. It will not leak (if nailed strong with long nails) even if the end pieces are 

 nailed on rough. The outside should be dressed and painted to prevent checking ia 

 dry weather. Alow brick or stone furnace, 22 inches wide inside, with door front and 

 grate, should be built, and the tank above described set upon it. Put as much water 

 as the grain you intend to cook will soak up in cooking, (an inexperienced i>erson will 

 never put in water enough at first,) and when it is heated to the boiling point close up 

 the draught, put the grain into the water, and put a board cover over the top. Now, 

 the cover, sides, and ends, being mostly of wood, and at the bottom a hot furnace, heat 

 will not escape, and it will cook most thoroughly without any more fire. The above- 

 described tank is of sufficient size for twenty-five or thirty hogs. For more hogs in- 

 crease the size or make additional tanks. The benefits of cooked food are twofold. 

 First, the grain is all digested and nothing lost. Second, the risk of overfeeding is re- 

 duced to almost nothing, the same amount being of three times the bulk, the stomach 

 is filled before the hog gets too much. We are always anxious to fatten our hogs as 

 fast as possible, and in feeding dry grain are apt to feed too much, (which is worse 

 than throwing the corn away,) so that the hog overloads his stomach and it becomes 

 diseased, consequently we continually hear the complaint among farmers that their 

 hogs are not doing well. If the hog leaves his feed and lays down before it is all eaten, 

 he has been fed too much. Take what is left away, and in future feed less. My own 

 method has been to cook grain without grinding, as above directed, and let it stand 

 until it soured a little. Then fed it has been attended with excellent results. * 



* * Charcoal and ashes should always be within reach of hogs. A little salt 

 is also beneficial. If a hog becomes constipated, feed nothing but wheat bran mixed 

 with slop from the house, and it will soon be corrected. To make pork cheapest, feed 

 liberally from a pig to the day of butchering. 



In the course of an article on hedge-fences, Mr. M. "\V. Eobinson gives 

 his preference to the Osage orange. He attributes a large majority of 

 the failures with this fence to a lack of knowledge of the habits and 

 requirements of the plant and inexperience in its cultivation. When 

 planted in dry land, and given proper care and attention, a number one 

 fence can be made complete in from three to four years, at a cost, in- 

 cluding everything, of from 50 to 75 cents per rod when turned out. 



The native honey locust, which is found gTowing in every section of 

 the State, he regards as the next best plant for ahedge. From expe- 



