BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. 83 



In an ex[Xiriment to determine the value of a hog wallow in the 

 fattening pen two lots of 10 pigs each were fed exactly alike, one 

 lot having access to a cement hog wallow. In a period of G7 da3\s the 

 pigs having access to the hog wallow gained an average of 18 pounds 

 more than the others. 



In two experiments to determine the effect of lice upon the fatten- 

 ing of pigs it was found that 0.31 and 0.53 pound more of grain was 

 required to produce each pound of gain in weight in the lica-in- 

 fested pigs than in those free from lice. 



SWINE HUSBANDRY EXTENSION. 



Fifty-six field men were employed in extension activities in swine 

 production, whicli included pig-club work and the emergency pork- 

 production campaign. 



Pig clubs. Cooperative work in connection with boys' and girls' 

 pig clubs was conducted in 25 States, where there was an enrollment 

 of 72,608 members, or an increase of 102 per cent over tlie year 

 before. Complete reports were i*eceived from 11.593 members. The 

 fact that the pig-club membership lias doubled in the last year is 

 only a slight indication of the zeal with which the boys and girls re- 

 sponded to the plea for increased meat production. A large i>er- 

 centage of the club members raised more than one pig, and there was 

 a gi-eat increase in the number of sows and iittei*s raised. 



Emergency pork ruoDucriON campaign. The Animal Husbandry 

 Division undertook to aid in bringii\g about the production of suf- 

 ficient pork and lard, with special attention to the needs of the Army 

 and the Allies. It is only fair to say, liowever, that the Food Admin- 

 istration's influence on prices was one of the princij:)al factors in 

 maintaining and inci'easing production. Swine specialists of the 

 Animal Husbandry Division cooperated with the State extension 

 forces, county agents, and other agencies. In the Corn-Belt States 

 the work was carried on as a separate enterprise, while in many of 

 the Southern States it was associated with the pig-club work. 

 Among the measures advocated were better feeding methods, the use 

 of self-feedei*s, the growing of suitable forage crops, the improve- 

 ment of quality of hogs, the production of fall as well as spring 

 litters of pigs, the formation of breeders' associations, and the home 

 killing and curing of pork. Demonstrations in the use of the self- 

 feeder and of forage crops were conducted in many counties, and the 

 farmers were brought together at tlie demonstration farms to see the 

 results. There was a big increase in tlie number of fall litters raised 

 in 1918. In the elfforts to promote the raising of better hogs, espec- 

 ially in the Southern States, the swine specialists assisted the farmers 

 in purchasing breeding stock and in selecting the best animals from 

 their herds for breeding purposes. 1 lie home killing and curing of 

 pork was encouraged by demonstrations and by exhibits at fairs. 

 The Negro farmers of the South received special attention in this re- 

 spect, and great improvement in the quality of meat cured by them 

 has Insulted. 



l^IOVEMENT OF FEEDER HOGS. 



Because of a shortage of feed resulting from the drought in 

 the Southwest, a great number of light hogs weighing from 60 

 to 125 pounds were shipped to market at a time when they should 



