222 



SWINE IN AMERICA 



a rapid fattening growth from increasing the grain ra- 

 tion while on the pasture, and with the full grain ration 

 tlie meat will be nearly as firm as that of hogs kept in a 

 dry lot, where grain alone has been fed. I find no dis- 

 tinction on the market between alfalfa-fed swine and 

 those purely grain-fed, and they sell price and price alike. 

 The general health of the alfalfa-fed hogs is equal to 

 that of those maintained on any other feed, and they 

 are prolific." 



The Kansas station realized $11.90 per acre from rape 

 pasture and $24.10 per acre from alfalfa pasture in 98 

 days. These results were obtained in the following ex- 

 periments, begun July 25 and concluded October 31: 



Thirty pigs, averaging 52 pounds in weight, were 

 divided as nearly equally as possible into three lots of ten 

 each. Lot i was fed on a grain mixture of one-half 

 shorts, one-fourtli corn meal and one-fourth Kafir-corn 

 meal, in a dry lot. The other two lots were fed the same 

 grain ration, but one received rape pasture and the other 

 alfalfa pasture in addition. Each lot was given what 

 grain the hogs would eat up clean, and each had access 

 to water and ashes. The weights of grain consumed 

 and gains made are as follows : 



The gains of the three lots are very nearly equal. The 

 dry lot consumed 557 pounds (or 70 pounds for every 



