404 ALFALFA FARMING IN AMERICA. 
ings said, “They are as tough as clothes-lines and as large as 
broomsticks.”’ The bum-gut cutter said that “it seemed like tak- 
ing out automobile tires, and I have not cut or torn a single one, 
they are so tough.” The caul fat and ruffle fat after guts were 
drawn off were much heavier than the average in corresponding 
corn-fed hogs. The leaf-lard pullers and ham facers complained 
about so much fat and weight in lifting the leaf out, and it was 
more bound down to the inside of the abdominal walls. The split- 
ter of backbones and sawyer of the shanks said “it was like cutting 
iron or railroad ties.” All bones were bones, large and strong. 
The carcasses were symmetrically filled out like barrels, having 
funnel legs, and all front feet were stiff and rigid, straight out, 
while in other hogs the front feet are generally limp and dangling. 
Their skins were well filled, shining and smooth as the human. 
When I read this sentence to Mr. Hodgins he laughed and said: 
“Don’t credit it to alfalfa, for we dip our hogs every two weeks 
in two or three inches of crude oil and never know what lice, 
mange or scurf are, nor hog-cholera so far, while our neighbors 
on all sides of us have had it and laid it to tankage. We fed the 
same tankage they did, for we bought it from the same parties 
and at the same time.” Their bodies were solid and the meat was 
of that marbled appearance of lean and fat, for the fat of an al- 
falfa hog is whiter, and here is where we get the two strips of 
lean in the bacon—rustling for a living makes muscle. 
Alfalfa Pasture for Hogs—No better plant has 
been found for hog pasture than alfalfa, nor will the 
hogs greatly injure the alfalfa if rightly managed. 
In any event, even if they do injure it, it is well to 
provide it, plowing it when seriously hurt and re- 
sowing. Certain points of management, however, 
will avoid nearly all injury. 
Do Not Overstock—The pasture ought to be 
larger than the hogs need. The number of hogs 
that a pasture will carry varies greatly, accord- 
ing to the size of the pigs and the quality of the 
pasture. It may be said that an acre will carry 
nicely about 1,200 to 1,600 pounds of swine, accord- 
