1858. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



209 



JOHNSON'S PATENT HOG THOUGH. 



The ease and economy with -which farm work 

 may be done, like all other business, depends 

 much upon the arrangements and conveniences 

 that may exist for doing it. It is not only impor- 

 tant to have buildings and implements well made, 

 but they should be convenient for the uses for 

 which they tire intended. Even a pig's trough may 

 have the requisites of convenience and economy, 

 or it may not. Many a man is obliged to jump 

 over into the quagmire of his sty and turn the 

 trough "right side up," beating off the squealing 

 and hungry swine with a cudgel or the toe of his 

 boot, before he can empty his pail ! Now if this 

 is a luxury, it can only be enjoyed by a rich man, 

 as no man of moderate means can afford it ; it 

 would be a loss of time, and probably of feed, 

 that would impoverish him too fast. 



We have introduced Mr. Johnson's new Pig 

 Trough, above, that the reader may see for him- 

 self, whether its introduction will be any improve- 

 ment in his mode of feeding swine. Without a 

 trial of it, we cannot speak with certainty, but it 

 seems to us that it is simple, cheap, and will prove 

 effectual. 



It is simply an elongated bowl, ■with a cover 

 half as large and of the same shape, which may 

 be opened or shut at pleasure. It is placed in 

 the side of the sty, by cutting out a hole in the 



boards, and fastened with three bolts, ^nd then 

 the pig cannot get his feet into it, nor get tne 

 food out. It is made of cast iron, so that the 

 swine will not eat it, unless very hungry ! 



In the figure above, the man has opened one 

 bowl and the pig is taking his breakfast, while 

 the other bowl is being filled the lazy pig seems 

 inclined to lounge till the last moment. 



AGKICULTUBE IN MICHIGAN. 



Our sister State, Michigan, has bounded by a 

 single leap, as it were, not only into line with the 

 elder States, but has already outstript them in 

 some of the elements which must certainly be 

 among the principal causes of intellectual wealth, 

 prosperity and power. With a wisdom unexam- 

 pled in this country, her people have taken hold 

 of the great interest of agriculture with more en- 

 ergy and system than can be found in the legis- 

 lative action of any other State in the Union. 



We have now before us, through the attention 

 of Mr. John C. Holmes, the accomplished Sec- 

 retary of the State Society, the eighth volume of 

 its agricultural transactions, containing nearly a 

 thousand pages of printed matter. In the midst 

 of this mass there are many papers of value, 

 showing a large amount of observation, research 

 and experiment, and an intimate, practical knowl- 



