498 DOMESTIC ANIMALS, DAIRYING, ETC. 



should be high and well drained, affording clean, dry sleeping 

 places; the shed should open to the south. The expense of such a 

 'building is well warranted in view of the added comfort to the stock 

 and increased number of pigs raised. Under all circumstances, re- 

 gardless of climate, whether a man is breeding pure-bred stock or 

 grades, hogs shpuld have sleeping places that are dry and warm and 

 feeding places that are clean. (F. B. 205.) 



Portable Hog Houses. Swine were originally native of warm, 

 damp, climates, but when domesticated and given proper protection 

 are found profitable in all agricultural districts. And yet no other 

 farm animal is subjected to such uncomfortable quarters; he fre- 

 quently sleeps in filth and eats from sour and slimy troughs. For- 

 tunately farmers are now appreciating better methods for shelter and 

 herd management. With the practice of these improved methods we 

 find the portable house rapidly coming into favor. 



Some advantages of the portable house are as follows. It is 

 easily and economically constructed; it can be easily moved and lo- 

 cated wherever desired ; it is useful both to the general farmer and 

 to the breeder of pure-bred stock; and of all systems for housing 

 swine, it is the most natural and sanitary. Only the simplest kind 

 of workmanship is necessary to build the portable house and much 

 odd lumber can be worked into it. The method of construction can 

 be easily understood from explanations and directions given with 

 the description of each house. The portable house is peculiarly ad- 

 vantageous since it can be readily moved. The renter who finds it 

 impossible to provide expensive quarters for his hogs can well afford 

 to construct portable houses since they can be retained as personal 

 property. 



Many farmers construct hog houses without considering the 

 importance of sanitation, ventilation, and drainage. A hog house of 

 any kind should be located on a high, dry site, and, if possible, on 

 soil containing sufficient sand to drain well. A house located on an 

 elevation may be somewhat colder in winter, but it is much cooler 

 and more comfortable in summer. Hogs suffer greatly with the 

 extreme heat of summer and it is equally as important to keep them 

 cool in summer as it is to keep them warm in winter. 



The portable houses are useful on any sized farm, as the num- 

 ber can be regulated to the size of the herd. With separate pad- 

 docks to accommodate swine of different ages and sexes a portable 

 house is practically a necessity. Swine will never pile up in a damp, 

 poorly-ventilated quarter and come out steaming in the cold morning, 

 air unless compelled to do so. Where a large number of animals 

 are continually housed in one hog house and fed in or around the 

 house the surroundings are sure to become more or less filthy and 

 unsanitary. If feeding is done on the inside it keeps a portion of 

 the floor wet, and gives the entire building an offensive, disagree- 

 able appearance. On the other hand, by using the portable house, 

 moving it occasionally onto a fresh piece of ground, and feeding 

 the hogs at a different place one avoids these unsanitary conditions. 

 These portable houses are built to accommodate from four to six 



