320 MIAMI COUNTY, KANSAS. 



I believe in, and act on the principle, that all stock requires 

 the attention of the farmer in sheltering them from the inclem- 

 ent weather. 



HOGS. 



For the last five years I have given my attention to the 

 pure Berkshire breed, believing them to be hardy and prolific, 

 maturing early, with a comparatively small amount of feed. 

 I believed them to be the hog for Kansas, l)ut observation and 

 the past year's experience have convinced me that a cross 

 between the Poland and Berkshire produce a better and more 

 desirable hog. They are more quiet in their habits, grow more 

 uniform in size, and make larger hogs, with a like amount of 

 care and feed in the same length of time, than the Berk- 

 shire. My plan is to use the pure Berkshire sow, and a well 

 bred Poland boar. As the Berkshire sows are less in size, and 

 more prolific, consequently they make better mothers and are 

 more certain to raise their young. I think it best, when a sow 

 has proven herself good as a breeder, to keep her for years, as her 

 pig;g will be likely to be more hardy and less subject to disease. 

 D.o not let the pigs come until late enough in the Spring, that 

 the sows may be able to soon get grass after farrowing. As 

 soon as the pigs are old enough, or manifest a desire to eat in 

 the trough with the sow, I arr :ige a little apartment where 

 they can be by themselves, and here feed ground feed. 



MY sows GRAZE UPON J LOVER AND TIMOTHY. 



I favor the plan of allowirg sows to bring but one litter of 

 pigs a year, as Fall pigs often get stunted, and then the farmer 

 can not save himself in preparing them for market. I use feed 

 ground with the Big Giant crusher ; think it pays to keep pigs 

 thriving and fat till they are ready for market. I attend to 

 keeping them well sheltered, so that they may have a warm 

 and cosy place to sleep, with plenty of salt and ashes ; also 

 good water to drink and, if possible, to wallow in. I feed my 

 fat hogs as much as possible on plank floor. I believe it will 

 pay twice over the expense. Fed in this way they will take 

 less dirt into the stomach. A hog is a clean animal if we only 

 give him a chance to be, and cleanliness is one of the essential 



