Bureau of Agkicultuee. 113 



STO^E DEPABTMENT. 



An honorable feature of the swine exhibit at the 

 Kentucky State Fair was the exhibit of eighteen pigs 

 by members of the Boys' Pig Club of Kentucky, in 

 charge of Otis Kercher, Kentucky Agricultural Experi- 

 ment Station. 



These pigs were representatives of only four coun- 

 ties, although pig clubs have been organized in fifteen 

 counties of the State. The counties represented at the 

 fair were Jefferson, Christian, Crittenden and Wood- 

 ford. Although small in numbers, the quality of these 

 pigs and the interest shown by their little owners com- 

 pelled the attention of the visitors to the swine barns 

 to a larger degree than any other one swine exhibit. 



One of the most forcible examples of the difference 

 that comes from using the balanced ration in opposition 

 to the "old man's method," as Mr. Kercher styles it, is 

 shown by the entry of Moser Brothers, two young Jeffer- 

 son county boys. The boys took two pigs from a litter, 

 and the father a third one. The three are in the same 

 pen. The one raised on com by the father, weighs a lit- 

 tle more than fifty pounds, while th6 two raised by the 

 boys tip the scales at more than 220 pounds ea;ch. The 

 sons know that it cost them four and one-half cents to 

 produce their pigs, while the father does not know what 

 his runt cost. 



Ernest Minner, of Marion, Crittenden county, has 

 a pig on display which shows he knows his business, and 

 that he can make money on porkers. The pig is now a 

 little more than six months old, and weighs 255 pounds, 

 and is valued at $40.00. He bought it from his father 

 for five cents a pound when it was two months old.' 



■ He has not only this book profit, but the pig won 

 first prize in its class at the Crittenden county fair; and 

 also secured for its owner a free trip to the State Fair. 

 Ernest was one of the proudest boys on the grounds. 



John "Woodward, of "Wilmore, was easily the most 

 disheartened boy who had a pig entry. He had a pig 

 which weighed 330 pounds when it was shipped from 

 bdmie. It ZieU in the wla'gbn. betwfeen the station and the 



