80 Forty Years' Experience of a Practical Hog Man. 



and flesh but should be fed with great care until the pigs- 

 become used to it, as it is apt to scour them if fed too lib- 

 erally at first. This will last until the field corn is in good 

 condition to commence feeding. 



I am practically sure that much of our so-called hog 

 cholera in the early months of the fall or late summer, is 

 nothing more than a condition brought about by overfeed- 

 ing green corn when it is in the roasting ear stage. Pigs 

 that have been fed possibly on scant feed duruig the sum- 

 mer and that are in rather thin condition would, if given 

 too much green corn in its early stage eat much more than 

 they could properly digest, bringing about a condition 

 that leaves the pigs ready to take any disease that comes 

 along. If they are troubled with worms at this time, and the 

 worms are not expelled, they will die about as fast as if 

 they had the cholera. 



Pigs handled as above mentioned from birth, should be 

 ready to market at any time after seven or eight months 

 of age, as suits the owner, or could be carried along until 

 late fall or early winter, but should be marketed before 

 ,cold weather comes on. It is not so easy to make rapid 

 gains in cold weather as during the early fall months. Pigs 

 handled in this manner should top the market whenever 

 they are shipped. 



Of course they should be as well bred as possible from 

 high-grade sows and pure-bred sires to make the best 

 gain, and should also have other attentions such as either 

 good bathing pools made of cement, as described in this 

 book, in which they can lie during the hot hours of the day, 

 or should often be run through the dipping tank, or should 

 be sprayed with some good disinfectant to which crude oil 

 has been added, thus keeping them free from vermin, the 

 skin in good condition, and assuring good health. 



The mixture of mineral matter mentioned in another 

 place should always be before them under cover where they 

 can go and eat when they desire. They should be kept 

 free from worms. This may be done by various methods 

 as herein described. 



The feeding of hogs for market will be found one of the 

 most profitable departments of the farm, and with as little 

 trouble as anything could be for the amount of money it 



