258 FEEDING AND MANAGEMENT 



allowed a succession of forage crops, namely, 1 acre rye pasture, 

 2 acres oat pasture, and 1 acre succotash pasture. The gain was 

 16.47 pounds for every bushel of grain consumed. The suc- 

 cotash, planted June 22nd, was composed of 2 bushels of oats, 

 1 pound of rape, 30 pounds of cow-peas, 30 pounds of soy beans, 

 and 2 pecks of corn. 



An important advantage in favor of pasturing hogs is the 

 fact that practically none of the manure is wasted. 



Pasture for Breeding Stock. It will not be found satis- 

 factory to allow breeding sows with their litters to run in large 

 pastures with other stock. This method is not fair to either the 

 sow or her litter, because this is a critical time, and a little extra 

 attention to the young pigs may make all the difference between 

 growthy, profitable hogs, and unprofitable scrubs. 



Dr. Tait Butler, in a bulletin published by the North Carolina 

 Department of Agriculture, describes the pasture lots for breed- 

 ing sows and their litters at the Iredell Test Farm of the Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture. The portable farrowing pens are set in a 

 grove so that they are sheltered from the extreme heat of the sun, 

 each pen being set in a lot 100 feet square in the grove. Running 

 out from each grove lot is a lot 100 feet wide by 450 feet long. 

 These large lots are divided lengthwise, giving each sow and her 

 litter two lots, each 50 feet wide by 450 feet long. One of these 

 lots is in permanent pasture, preferably alfalfa, and the other 

 is planted with some other pasture crop, so that the sow and her 

 litter can be grazed alternately on the two lots. The long, nar- 

 row lot is convenient to cultivate. No doubt it is not practicable 

 for every swine breeder to follow the plan described above, but 

 the principle is sound, and may suggest to the thoughtful man 

 ways and means of improving the conditions for his breeding 

 stock at a very critical period of their existence. 



Shade and Water. Ample provision for shade and an abun- 

 dant supply of pure drinking water are of great importance in 

 keeping hogs healthy and thrifty. To compel hogs to drink from 



