THE SWINE INDUSTRY 183 



the pasture in the other is growing up, and they 

 are used alternately. If the pasture be of a per- 

 manent nature, such as clover or alfalfa, it will 

 generally pay to go over each lot with the mowing 

 machine immediately after the hogs are placed on 

 the other lot. This cuts down the old dry stalks 

 that have been left and stimulates a new rapid 

 growth of young, tender shoots. There will be less 

 tendency to waste feed by this method than where 

 a large number of hogs are kept continuously in 

 one pasture, and it is also undoubtedly true that a 

 larger number of animals can be maintained on 

 a given area of land. 



In some corn-growing districts, and more es- 

 pecially in some of the pea-growing regions of the 

 mountain valleys, the custom of " hogging off " 

 a crop has become quite common. This consists 

 simply of turning animals into a corn field or pea 

 field and allowing them to harvest the crop, con- 

 suming all they desire of the grain and keeping 

 them in the field until it is all cleaned up. Some 

 hold the idea that hogging off a crop is a shiftless 

 way of farming. This is based neither on facts nor 

 good judgment, according to the statement made in 

 a bulletin on this subject, issued by the Minnesota 

 experiment station. As a method of economical 

 feeding, the practice of hogging off corn has been 

 growing in favor during the past few years and 

 seems to be a practical and economical way of feed- 

 ing hogs for several weeks during the fall. A two- 

 years' investigation into this subject was made at 

 the Minnesota station. Comparisons were made 

 with other methods of feeding corn and letters of 

 inquiry were sent to many farmers who had ex- 

 perimented with this plan. As a result, the station 

 is strong in its recommendation of this plan, viewed 



