THE PORK-MAKERS MAINSTAY 283 



"In September, 1905, I decided to allow my shotes, 

 loi in number, to gather their own feed for a time, 

 and having anticipated the same during the early 

 summer, I had sown in seven acres of corn, at the last 

 plowing. Dwarf Essex rape seed, and, having an abun- 

 dance of rain to aid germination and growth, the rape 

 did remarkably well, and when the corn was enough 

 matured to feed to hogs safely the rape was from ten to 

 12 inches high and a good, even stand. I began using 

 this corn by cutting and throwing it over the fence to 

 the shotes on September 5, and on that date the loi head 

 averaged 79 pounds each, the lot weighing 7,980 pounds. 



"After gradually increasing the quantity for about 

 ten days, I turned the shotes into the field to help them- 

 selves. Idle corn was an excellent crop, probably averag- 

 ing 85 to 90 bushels per acre. The shotes all did ex- 

 ceedingly well, not one being sick. On October 24 the 

 corn seemed to be all consumed and the rape as well. 

 That day being a very rainy one and not suitable for 

 weighing the hogs, I turned them into their former pas- 

 ture and fed them husked corn for the day. The next 

 day they weighed 18,100 pounds, an average gain of 100 

 pounds each for the 50 days they were thus fed. I sold 

 them a few days later at $4.85 per 100 pounds, weighed 

 at home. As stock hogs the shotes were worth $5 per 

 100 pounds at the beginning of the feeding period, or 

 $398.95. I received for them $876.88, or $477.93 gain, 

 equal to $68.28 per acre for the seven acres of corn and 

 rape consumed. Conditions were most fa\-orable for 

 using the crop in this way, as the weather was dry and 

 there was practically no waste. I took a basket and went 



