194 



FARMER'S CYCLOPEDIA OF LIVE STOCK 



matures in the fall, "which is usually in 

 early September, the pigs which at the 

 age of six months have become hogs, 

 are fed all the corn they can consume 

 without waste. In addition they are 

 given all the pure water and ashes they 

 need. Within three or four months on 

 this feeding they are ready for market. 

 Swine and cattle farming go well 

 together since in the case of fattening 

 beef animals on corn about one shote is 

 put in the lot after each steer, and picks 

 up a large portion of his living from 

 the droppings. On dairy farms also 

 hogs form a valuable, adjunct in con- 

 suming the surplus skim milk. While 

 all other grains and mill products are 

 fed to hogs more or less extensively, 

 corn is the principal grain ration used 

 in America. 



GOAT FARMING 



Angora goats are grown under west- 

 ern range conditions to the extent of 

 nearly 300,000 head. Small flocks are 

 also scattered throughout all the states. 

 These goats furnish mohair, meat and 

 skins. Under range conditions they are 

 handled in practically the same manner 

 as sheep. On eastern farms they are 

 used in small numbers as brush destroy- 

 ers. When confined in sufficient num- 

 bers on brush land, they soon gnaw and 

 strip off the bark and browse on the 

 leaves to the entire destruction of the 

 brush. This land is easily cleared then 

 for agricultural purposes, after which 

 they are not as profitable in general 

 farming as sheep. 



Goats are not as good mothers as 

 sheep and provision must be made for 

 caring for the kids during the early 

 stages of growth while the does are out 

 feeding. Goats defend themselves 

 against animals, as dogs, much more 

 effectually than sheep. 



Milch goats are kept in small num- 

 bers in cities and towns, principally by 

 foreigners. They are not yet present in 

 sufficient numbers to be considered from 

 the standpoint of American systems of 

 farming. 



POULTRY FARMING 



The raising of poultry — chickens, 

 turkeys, ducks, geese, etc., may be car- 

 ried on successfully anywhere in the 

 United States. Poultry farming is a 

 kind of farming well adapted to men 

 with small means and, when given rea- 

 attention, affords satisfactory 



profits. It is light work and is suc- 

 cessfully carried on by women. 



While probably 95 per cent of the 

 poultry grown in the country is pro- 

 duced on farms and by the old method 

 of letting the mother bird hatch out the 

 eggs, there are many large poultry 

 farms in which practically all the eggs 

 are hatched out in incubators and the 

 chicks raised in brooders. 



Under general farm conditions the 

 eggs are hatched under the mother birds. 

 The flock is fed grain in winter and a 

 small amount in summer, and allowed, 

 for the most part, to run at large and 

 pick up a living on pasture, insects and 

 in the grain fields and about the barn. 



By this method most of the eggs are 

 produced in spring and early summer 

 when the price is lowest. It is at this 

 time that the cold storage egg man 

 lays in his supply of cheap eggs to be 

 kept three to nine months and sold when 

 the farmer's hens are not laying and 

 prices are higher. Many eggs at this 

 time are also packed in lime water, or 

 in water-glass and kept for three or four 

 months, which is a very satisfactory 

 way of prolonging the natural egg sea- 

 son. 



Eggs and broilers—Near the larger 

 markets there is considerable demand 

 for absolutely fresh eggs and for broil- 

 ers. These demands have called into 

 existence many large poultry plants in 

 which practically all eggs are hatched 

 in incubators, and the chicks reared in 

 brooders. Especial effort is made to 

 secure eggs in winter when prices are 

 highest. Chicks are, therefore, hatched 

 eary in spring. March hatched chicks 

 will usually begin to lay in October and 

 early November. The feed is the great 

 factor on these farms and is made up 

 of meat scraps, grain, grit, green food, 

 pasture or grass range, skim milk, etc. 



As about half the hatch is likely to 

 be cockerels many raisers caponize them 

 and get a little better price for the 

 caponized birds. The aim is to keep 

 only one and two-year-old hens for eggs 

 and to have them molt in July and 

 August, in order to be in good egg lay- 

 ing condition by November, when the 

 farmer's hens have stopped for the 

 winter. 



Details of the different methods for 

 handling each kind of poultry will be 

 found in the chapter on poultry. 



