90 Forty Years' Experience of a Peactioal Hog Man. 



Boots could be handled in this way also, but would not 

 be necessary except for winter, when green forage was im- 

 possible other than alfalfa, cowpeas and clover. 



HOW TO MAKE COB CHARCOAL. 



As charcoal is a very desirable supplemental food for 

 pigs, it is well to know how to make a good article and 

 cheaply, particularly in the cornbelt where there are more 

 or less cobs after corn shelling season. 



Dig a hole in the ground about six feet deep, and four 

 or five feet across, bricking it up with fire brick so there 

 will be no danger of its caving in or becoming broken up. 

 Build it up to a level with the ground and have a heavy 

 galvanized iron cover made large enough to cover the pit 

 tightly. Then take a double wagon box full of dry cobs 

 and start a little fire in the bottom of the pit, adding a few 

 cobs as fast as those in the pit begin to burn and come to 

 a red glow — actually burned to a charcoal — yet looking 

 bright red. As fast as this condition appears in the pit 

 add a few more cobs, until the entire pit becomes filled to 

 the top with a glowing mass of burned cobs. Then have 

 handy a few barrels of water in which salt is dissolved 

 and sprinkle it on this pit of burning, glowing cobs 

 until the fire is entirely extinguished. Then cover the pit 

 with the iron cover, packing a little dirt on the edge so no 

 air can get in the glowing mass, and leave it until the next 

 day, when the fire will be all gone and the pit full of 

 charred cobs in a condition where they can almost be 

 crushed with the thumb and finger. Let it stand until you 

 know it is absolutely cool before feeding, then put a bushel 

 basket full in every lot where there is a sow and litter 

 or where there are eight or more pigs. It will be siir- 

 prising to you to see how eagerly this is eaten by pigs 

 and hogs of every age and condition. They seem to 

 relish it very much and it acts as a corrector of acidity. 

 This is a good thing to have on hand at all times if possi- 

 ble. Good charcoal cannot be made by raking up cobs from 

 the feed yard and burning them in the open air, for the 

 reason they will either all burn up to ashes, or if put out 

 with water, will leave many of them simply scorched and 

 not burned to charcoal. 



