562 



THE FARMERS' REGISTER. 



conclude with my views as to the best 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 sties, and as the numbers raised 

 are comparatively small, there is no great ex- 

 pense attending the manner of leeding them; 

 indeed, this is the most economical, cheap and 

 convenient method of fattening that could be 

 adopted in any country where the number led 

 is small. In some of ihe New England states 

 large buildings have been erected lor raising and 

 fattening hogs on an extensive scale, led almost 

 exclusively on vegetables produced on a few 

 acres of land, which gives a profit of 50 per cent. 

 more than any other way in which the products 

 of the land could be disposed of. On this exten- 

 sive scale, the business is unconnected with any 

 other, having for its object, ihe raising and fatten- 

 ing of hogs alone, for it requires the most strict 

 attention which daily habit and the most scru- 

 tinizing observation, in time reduced to a perlect 

 system, can give. It was ascertained to a frac- 

 tion, what each hog would eat at a meal, which 

 was measured out to him three times a day, the 

 quantity according to age, allowing six of the same 

 age to occupy a sty, which was regularly littered 

 and cleaned out once a day. The amount ol ve- 

 getables required per day, and the necessity of 

 the different varieties coming on in due season, 

 would require great attention. At the first view 

 of the subject, we would conclude that a piggery 

 conducted in lilce manner in KenJucky, would be 

 equally profitable. But not so — there would be 

 this difference : — The price of pork and lard in 

 Boston is more than 50 pr. ct. higher than in 

 Louisville ; and the profit accruing from the super- 

 abundance of manure, which is worth Irom two 

 to three dollars a load in the New England stales, 

 will amount to a large sum, which with us would 

 be excluded from the estimate, as it will bring 

 nothing here on sale, though uselul to the land on 

 which the hogs are fattened. In 200 hogs annu- 

 ally sold, these causes would produce a difference 

 of perhaps three thousand dollars in lavor of the 

 New England piggery. 

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



lbs. pork at 10 cents in Boston ^4,000 



For their manure .... i^oOO 



$5,000 

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



Leaving a difference in favor of the N. 



E. piggery 83,000 



In no way could an extensive piggery be made 

 profitable to us but by being connected with a 

 distillery. The expenses would then be much 

 lessened ; for it would require but a lew vegeta- 

 bles or a little meal added to the slop of the dis- 

 tillery to make the swill highly nutritive. They 

 might be put to graze in the summer and swill 

 given them occasionally, and again put up in the 

 fall. 



The manner of feeding and fattening hogs now 

 generally adopted in this state, seems lo me to be 

 well calculated for our method of cultivation. 

 Taking into consideration the products and the 

 great number of hogs fatted for other markets, to- 

 gether with the great number of beef cattle annu- 

 ally grazed and fed, the system is complete. In 



winter they are amply supplied with food from the 

 reliised corn and pudding of the cattle — two or 

 three hogs to each head of cattle finding thus 

 abundant sustenance. In the spring, when the 

 cattle are no longer fed, the hogs are put on the 

 exuberant clover field, which was sown for the 

 double purpose of enriching the land and supply- 

 ing rich lood for the cattle and hogs. In due 

 lime, when the clover becomes hard, and unfit 

 lor the hogs, it is given up to the earth, and they 

 are removed lo the rye fields, there to fatten and 

 complete another system of manuring, so ad- 

 mirably adapted to our lands and our wants. So 

 soon as the rye field is consumed, the corn field is 

 ready to receive them* and in due time they are 

 ready lor market, leaving the fields and pastures 

 richer than they were. 



Although this arrangement is good for feeding 

 and fattening, yet there are other important mat- 

 ters in relation to their raising and health, which 

 in no wise should be neglected. Experience has 

 taught me, that no matter how many pigs a bow 

 has over six, they should be reduced to that num- 

 ber, always retaining the large and healthy ones; 

 lor I can and will demonstrate that six piga wiM 

 make more pork at 12 or 18 months old, than eight 

 would of the same litter — and eight will make 

 more than ten. Give to the six the food which 

 you would give the eight or ten and you will find, 

 in the result, the truth of my statement proven. 

 It is essential that pigs be kept fat while sucking, 

 and to have them so, six is a better number than 

 eight or ten. At weaning time, or when sixty days 

 old, the lime when the sows decline in milk, par- 

 ticular attention should be paid to the pigs, hav- 

 ing them regularly fed either with corn or swill, 

 lor at this juncture, they are unaccustomed to root 

 for themselves and will rapidly lose their flesh and 

 their health, and their growth will be retarded, if 

 left to shift lor themselves. If they are kept fat 

 during tlip fall, when provisions are plenty and 

 cheap, they will keep thriliy and well through the 

 winter, on very moderate feeding; but I prefer 

 liberal feeding throughout. The food is by no 

 means thrown away, as you will have more pork 

 and not any more corn consumed in the end. 



Hogs should be kept free from diseases ; parti- 

 cularly the disease of worms, which is very per- 

 nicious and a constant attendant on poor hogs. 

 Liberal feeding at all times is the best preventive; 

 but when it is not in the crib, brimstone, spirits of 

 turpentine, or tar mixed with their food will reme- 

 dy the evil. All hogs are more or less subject to 

 worms ; but some are so overcharged, that their 

 intestines are literally filled with them, and unless 

 they are extirpated, it is throwing away corn lo 

 (eed them, for in this condition it is almost impos- 

 sible to fatten them ; they will consume twice as 

 much as a hog will not troubled with them, as the 

 nulricious juices are taken up by the worms, and 

 their fetid excrement is all that is left as a misera- 

 ble substitute for sustenance. 



* We presume our writer does not intend to be un- 

 derstood, that the hogs are turned into the corn field ; 

 lor though this practice may be adopted by some, the 

 more general custom is to put them in a large pen ad- 

 joining, into which the corn is thrown. If the corn is 

 not sufficiently ripe when the rye is consumed, old corn 

 is fed to the hogs ; and indeed, the feeders generally, 

 we believe, prefer beginning to feed them on old corn 

 after they are put up — introducing the new rather 

 cautiously and gradually. — Ed. F. Farmer. 



