ALFALFA FOR SWINE. 405 
ing to its condition and the way the hogs are man- 
aged. That would mean 8 pigs weighing 150 
pounds or fewer of larger animals. Not that these 
pigs would consume all the alfalfa in the field; it is 
not desired that they should. It will be mown two 
or three times and the surplus made into hay. This 
keeps the alfalfa vigorous and gives a good deal of 
hay. It also helps the hogs by giving them a fresh 
bite as it comes up again. 
It is not well to mow off an entire pasture at one 
time as it leaves nothing for the hogs to eat for 
some days. 
It will not do to put in enough hogs to eat a pas- 
ture down close as it destroys the alfalfa after a 
time, and one can never get a maximum return from 
land treated in that way. Alfalfa must have a 
chance to grow, and if it is kept nibbled down close 
all the time it cannot possibly grow. Thus instead 
of getting the most out of a pasture by stocking 
heavily one gets the least out of it. This is a very 
common error made by beginners in alfalfa growing. 
Make your alfalfa pastures wide and mow them 
regularly. Thus treated the animals get the most 
possible out of them and the pastures themselves 
will live for a long time. 
Wait for Warm Weather.—Do not turn hogs in 
alfalfa pastures until warm weather comes. The bru- 
tal disregard for the young, tender plants displayed 
by some would-be alfalfa growers is most exasperat- 
ing. Perhaps it comes from their habit of turning 
