BxjKBAiT OF Ageiciiltueb. 225 



St. Matthews, Ky., October 1, 1915. 



Mr. F. E. Merriman, 



Louisville, Kentucky. 



Dear Sir: — 



I am -writing you to let you know about the big lesson my son 

 Henry and I have learned about hog raising since you started the 

 Boys' Pig Club. Of course, you know I live In the potato section 

 of Jefferson County, and the largest part of my farming consists of 

 raising potatoes. 



We were glad to have the boy join the pig club, and purchased 

 a pig at your suggestion on June 26th, which weighed 43 pounds. 

 When you said that we could feed this pig in such a way that it 

 would weigh 170 pounds by the State Pair time — which was some 70 

 days' time — I did not say anything, but could hardly believe that it 

 was possible, and my wife and I thought that you were talking 

 through your hat. 



I have learned a whole lot about feeding a pig, for instead of 

 making 170 pounds, it made ISO pounds; doing more than what you 

 said it would. Although we did not get any silver cups or cash 

 prizes at the State Fair, we feel that we got the largest prize of 

 them all — ^that of learning how to feed a pig profitably,' and we are 

 well satisfied. 



I raise a few hogs every year for my own meat, and sometimes 

 have a few to sell the last of November. About this time I get 

 some more pigs around three months old, keeping them until the 

 next year, making one year's time for the pigs to be fed. I have 

 tried all kinds of ways to feed these hogs in order to get them to 

 weigh 250 pounds, and still make a profit. Each year they have always 

 cost me more than I could get for them. 



From now on — I am glad to say — I shall have some hogs to sell 

 every six months, and I will feed them the same as we fed the pig 

 in the Boys' Pig Club. From now on I am not going to throw all 

 my corn away, getting little or no profit from it, but shall feed a 

 balanced ration. I feel that this method will make us some money. 



Little Henry has not given up hecause he did not win prizes this 

 year, but Is determined to use the experience which he gained this 

 year to win some of the silver cups with next year. 



Yours very truly, 



(Signed) HENRY RBULING. 



Almost every county could show tlie above demon- 

 stration. 



Next year pig club work is to be taken up with. 26 

 agents, each agent to supervise but 15 or 20 boys. We 

 have already inaugurated a campaign in Knox county 

 for pure-bred hogs and community breeding. The 

 Farmers' State Bank, of Barbourville, has purchased 

 $200.00 worth of pure-bred hogs, and given them oul 

 to pig club boys under contract that they shall remain 

 members of the pig club for two years, feed and care for 

 these hogs under the direction of the county agent, and 

 register all the progeny from their original gilt, unless 



agr. — 8 



