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THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE 



AMERICAN FARMERS ARE BEING TAUGHT SCIENTIFIC AGRICULTURE THROUGH 



THEIR vSONS AND DAUGHTERS 



The corn clubs and pig clubs are closely related. It was to provide a profitable method 

 of marketing the boys' corn harvests which first suggested the idea of pig clubs to a rural 

 school superintendent in Caddo Parish, Louisiana, eight years ago. 



ods of raising pigs, of planting corn, etc. 

 This information is supplied without 

 charge, and the government agents will 

 gladly give expert advice, call wherever 

 possible to see those interested, and en- 

 roll them as club members, all without 

 cost to the individual. 



No attempt has been made in this arti- 

 cle to set forth the methods of pig-raising 

 or to describe the relative merits of such 

 breeds as the Duroc Jersey, the Poland 

 China, the Berkshire, and Hampshire. 

 All these subjects are treated in very com- 

 plete and interesting detail in the various 

 Department of Agriculture bulletins, 

 which are sent free, upon request. 



Boys and girls living in the New Eng- 

 land and Middle Atlantic States are espe- 

 cially urged to join the club movement. 

 Their proximity to many large cities in- 

 sures a constantly brisk market for farm, 

 dairy, and meat products, and all food 

 raised in this section of the country not 

 only adds to the general larder of the 



nation, but relieves to some extent the 

 ever - increasing transportation burden 

 which must be borne by the government- 

 operated railroads. 



From April to November the weather 

 is sufficiently mild in the North and East 

 to warrant the raising of pigs in the open, 

 without the outlay of large sums for 

 housing equipment. 



Among the Eastern States, Massachu- 

 setts has been commendably active in 

 boys' and girls' club work. In that Com- 

 monwealth the popularity of the pet-pig 

 movement has been second only to the in- 

 terest shown in poultry clubs. New York 

 promises to do much in this direction 

 also, although the club work was not be- 

 gun in that State until March, 191 6. 



Particular emphasis should be placed 

 on the fact that a large tract of land is 

 not requisite to the keeping of a pet pig. 

 On a small lot in the suburbs a young 

 porker can be fattened at negligible cost,, 

 being fed largely on kitchen waste. 



