FEEDS AND FEEDING 55 



states that a field had been planted with corn continuously for 33 

 years and every year was " hogged down." 



Within the last year or two the owner desiring to learn the 

 condition of the soil and how much corn this particular piece 

 was producing after having been planted to corn for 33 continu- 

 ous years, measured off a piece before turning in the hogs, and by 

 actual measurement learned that the land was producing over 100 

 bushels of corn to the acre. 



It behooves the thinking farmer to keep up soil production, 

 especially during these days of high priced land, and this can be 

 done profitably and economically by "hogging down corn," 

 especially if rape or some of the clovers or other grasses, or some 

 of the grains like rye, is sown in the field when the corn is laid 

 by. This will give a good balanced ration, and the hogs will do 

 the harvesting themselves without cost to the farmer, and will 

 doubtless, taking one year with another, bring up. the selling price 

 of his corn. 



Comparison of Practices. I have a friend who made a com- 

 parison between "hogging down" part of a field of wheat, in 

 1913, and cutting the other part of the field, threshing it and 

 hauling it to the elevator and selling it at 80c per bushel. Estim- 

 ating the yield of the entire field the same, the portion that he 

 "hogged down" after weighing the hogs when turned into the 

 wheat field, and again when the wheat was all eaten and the hogs 

 sold on the market, he found that his wheat that was "hogged 

 down" brought him $1.40 per bushel compred with 80 cents per 

 bushel for that threshed and hauled to market. Further than 

 this it required no expense to market the wheat that was "hogged 

 down," and it also benefited the land to have the hogs on it. 

 There are many little things in the hog business if one will try 

 them out that are not only more economical but much less work 

 than old methods. 



Of course where men are breeding hogs of the pure breeds, 

 to be sold as breeders, it is necessary that the animals should be 

 in good flesh and prime condition at all times, to be ready for in- 

 spection by visiting breeders. With such animals additional care 

 and feed may be necessary. Certainly it is a good plan to have 

 everything in the hog line at least in good breeding condition and 

 always ready for inspection. 



Green Feed. Every breeder or feeder should know what are 

 the best grasses, grains and other feeds that can be grown in his 

 locality, and can easily get this information from his state agri- 

 cultural college, and should use his judgment in selecting those 

 that are best. The essential thing is to have plenty of green feed at 

 all times of the year if possible, either for grazing or that can be 

 used during the season when there is no pasture, as in our north- 

 ern and western states. In portions of the country where roots 

 are grown to some extent, such as mangels, turnips, sugar beets, etc., 



