1838] 



FARMERS' REGISTER. 



381 



thrashing machine, may with Httie expense pro- 

 cure orihnary millstones, and by attachiiiir a cracit- 

 er as for a plaster mill, or arranfjinix the stones 

 themselves as recommemled by INlr. J^ncKminsler, 

 have a mill not only useful for grindinj^ cobs but 

 all the srain he intends for feedinfj. As the pow- 

 er required would be lessened as the velocity wne 

 decreased, two horses would run a pair of mill- 

 stones, it is believed, with as much ease as four do 

 the lari^cr thrashin']: machines. 



From the Franklin fKy.) Farmer.) 

 MANAGEMEXT AND DISEASES OP HOGS. 



To Chilton Allan, president of the Kentucky State 

 j/gricultural Society. 



I have seen in a late number of the Franklin 

 Farmer, your circular address, calling upon the 

 friends of improvement for essays upon a number 

 of important subjects relating to the agricultural 

 interests and pursuits of our state. Approving hear- 

 tily the noble objects of the State Society, I read 

 your address with great satisfaction ; and I cannot 

 but believe, that the action of the Society will 

 bring about the most gratifying results in improv- 

 ing the science of agriculture, and hence the con- 

 dition of the husbandman: for I cannot doubt, 

 that every one who desires improvement himself 

 and who would derive useful information from 

 others will hold himself bound to contribute some- 

 thing to the fjeneral stock of knowledge. There 

 are few intelligent farmers who do not know some- 

 thing unknown to others, and it is by an inter- 

 change of sentiment and opinion, as well as of ex- 

 perience and practice, that the farmers of the 

 country will be able to see and reject the errors 

 of their husbandry and adopt those modes instead 

 which lead to improvement and success. In this 

 view. I offer an humble tribute, which at least has 

 the merit of a well meant design of benefiting 

 others in some respects. 



The commencement of our prosperity may be 

 dated from the period when our agriculturists 

 turned their attention to the raising of stock tor 

 export ; and as the consumption and demand 

 have increased in a ratio with the increase of 

 population and wants of the people of the United 

 States, the business has become a source of wealth 

 to Kentucky. And no where has the improve- 

 ment of stock been so great and so general, nor 

 more zeal and perseverance manifested to procure 

 the breeds of horses, asses, cattle, sheep and hogs. 

 In enumerating these descriptions of .stock, the 

 last is not the least important in bringing wealth 

 to the state, and should be looked to with a foster- 

 ing care and attention. 



Under tliis belief, I humbly submit to the pub- 

 lic through you, the following; observations on 

 the management of hogs, with some remarks on 

 some of their diseases. 



In giving my views on these subjects, I deem 

 it important to state some of the various ways of 

 raising, feeding and fattening hogs in different sec- 

 tions of the country, which, according to circum- 

 stances, soil and climate, will differ; and conclude 

 with my views as to the beet mode to be adopted 

 by the farmers of Kentucky under her peculiar 

 circumstances. In Europe and many parts of the 



United States, hogs are indispensably kept in" 

 pens or stres, and as the numbers raised are com- 

 piu'iitively small, there is no irreat expense attend- 

 ing the manner of feeding them ; indeed this is 

 the most economical, cheap and convenient me- 

 thod of fiiilening that could be adopted in any 

 country where the number led is small. In some 

 of the New Englatid States large buildings have 

 been erected lor raising and latteninir hogs on an 

 extensive scale, fed almost exclusively on vega- 

 tables produced on a few acres of land, which 

 ffives a profit of 50 per cent, more than any other 

 way in which the products of the land could be 

 disposed of. On this extensive scale, the busi- 

 ness is unconnected with any other, liaving (or its 

 object the raising and fiitlening of hogs alone, 

 for it requires the most strict attention which daily 

 habit and the most scrutinizing observation, in 

 time reduced to a perfect system, can give. It 

 was a.scertained to a fraction, what each hog 

 would eat at a meal^ which was measured out to 

 him three limes a day, the quantity according to 

 aire, allowing six of the same age to occupy a sty, 

 which was re<riilarly littered and cleaned out 

 once a day. The amount of vegetables required 

 per day, and the necessity of the diH'erent varie- 

 ties coming on in due season, would require great 

 attention. At the first view of the subject, we 

 would conclude that a piggery conducted in like 

 manner in Kentucky, would be equally profitable. 

 But not so — there would be this difference: — 

 The price of pork and lard in Boston is more 

 than 50 per cent, higher than in Louisville : and 

 the profit accruing from the superabundance of 

 manure, which is worth from two to three dollars 

 a load in the New England States, will amount tO' 

 a large sum, which with us would be excluded 

 from "the estimate, as it will bring nothing here 

 on sale, though useful to the land on which the 

 hogs are fattened. In 200 hogs annually sold,' 

 these causes would produce a difference of per- 

 haps three thousand dollars in favor of the New 

 Enirland piggery. 

 Say 200 hogs at 200 lbs. each, 40,000 lbs. 



pork at 10 cents in Boston, ^4,000 



For their manure, 1,000 



$5,000 

 40,000 lbs, pork at Louisville, at 5 cents. 2,000 



Leaving a difference in favor of the New 



England piggery, 3,000 



In no way could an extensive piggery be made 

 profitable to us but by being connected with a dis- 

 tillery. The expenses would then be much les- 

 sened; for it would require but a few vegetables 

 or little meal added to the slop of the distillery 

 to make the swill highly nutritive. They might 

 be put to graze in the summer and swill given 

 them occasionally and again put in the fill. 



The manner of feedmg and fattening hogs now 

 generally adopted in this state, seems to me to be 

 well calculated for our method of cultivation. 

 Taking into consideration the products and the 

 great number of hogs fatted for other marl<ets, to- 

 gether with a great number of beef cattle annu- 

 ally grazed and fed, the system is complete. In 

 winter, they are amply eupplied with food from 

 the refiised corn and pudding of the cattle — two 

 or three hogs to each head of cattle finding thus 

 abundant sustenance. In the spring, when the 



