PASTURE AND SOILING CROPS 199 



an acre was planted on May 19th with 70 pounds of tubers. 

 The tubers were planted about four inches deep, in rows 24 

 inches apart, and in hills about 20 inches apart in the rows. Six 

 pigs, averaging a little over 100 pounds each, were turned into 

 the plot on October 3 and allowed to harvest the crop, which 

 lasted them three weeks. They were fed a light meal ration 

 while eating the tubers. The six pigs gained 197 pounds 

 in three weeks, and consumed only 189 pounds of meal. This 

 is a most extraordinary result, but it must be remembered that 

 the experiment lasted a very short time. The experiment in- 

 dicates possibilities for this crop. Pigs eat artichokes greedily. 



Peanuts (Pasture). — Bulletin 143 of the Alabama Station 

 gives results of three years' work with peanuts as a pasture crop. 

 Unfortunately, the peanuts produced a normal crop only one 

 year out of the three, due to the fact that labor could not be 

 procured to work the crops after they were put in. 



In the test with a normal crop of peanuts, it required 560 

 pounds of corn fed alone to produce 100 pounds of pork, but 

 with hogs fed corn on peanut pastiire, it required 177 pounds 

 corn and 0.12 acre peanuts to produce 100 pounds of pork. 



The average of three years shows the amount of feed for 



100 pounds gain in weight to be as follows : 



Corn alone 611 lbs. corn. 



Corn and peanut pasture 148 lbs. corn, 0.45 acre peanuts. 



The writers of the bulletin state : " As a whole, peanut past- 

 ure was found to be more useful than any other pasture tried. 

 Pork was made at a good profit when peanut pasture was used 

 in conjunction with corn." 



Of course this does not mean that other pasture crops do 

 not occupy an important place because peanuts are available 

 for only a limited time. 



Attention is called again to the injurious influence of peanuts 

 upon the quality of pork, and the fact that the hogs should have, 

 at least, several weeks of grain feeding before going to market. 



