758 JEFFERSON COUNTY, INDIANA. 



fence, to protect them from prowling, murderous dogs. The 

 splendid natural drainage of my land fits it especially for a 

 choice sheep farm. 



HOGS. 



My swine are thorough-bred Poland Chinas, and are in 

 demand in this market. This breed assimilates food readily, 

 matures early, and usually brings from fifteen to twenty-five 

 cents per 100 pounds above the ruling prices. I arrange it so 

 that my sows farrow early in February, and again in late Sum- 

 mer, and I push the young pigs from the start, to have them 

 ready to sell at from ten months to one year old. My pigs have 

 been unusually healthy, which I attribute to my care to avoid 

 inbreeding, and by the judicious use of antiseptics. At least 

 once a week, and often a second time, I give in their feed a 

 mixture of equal parts of powdered charcoal, roll brimstone, 

 sulphate of iron (copperas), salt. 



The base of the hog feed consists of the refuse from 

 the starck works, with linseed or decorticated cottonseed 

 oil meal> and sometimes the coarser starch feed meal is 

 added, to obviate the costive tendency of the slop. The im- 

 portance, also, of clean bed places and pure water, is thus 

 shown to be as a factor in swine raising. 



BEES. 



The culture of bees is the only specialty I have made on 

 the farm, the hive, and other implements used, being of local 

 invention. This hive is the result of many years' practical ex- 

 perience, and is of large size and well ventilated, as I see the 

 necessity of supplying abundant room for the bees and surplus 

 honey, if I would obtain any profit. Artificial swarming I al- 

 most exclusively practise, for the purj^ose of retaining the 

 greatest number of working bees together in the hive, to gather 

 the flush flow of honey when it comes. In the Winter my 

 bees are left on their Summer stands, and the extra space 

 around the brood chamber is packed with chaif, cut straw, or 

 dry leaves, to protect them from sudden changes of weather 

 and excessive cold. At the same time it enables me to ofive 



