50 MISCELLANEOUS PAPERS. 
be attained by this method of harvesting corn: (1) The improve- ° 
ment of the land and (2) the health of the hogs. The farmer 
referred to says that in his first year’s experience he snapped 20 acres 
of corn beside the field hogged down. The next spring both were 
sown to small grain under the same conditions and with the same 
preparation. The wheat on the land where corn was hogged down — 
made 5 and the oats 7 bushels more to the acre than did the other. 
The difference is just as noticeable in a succeeding corn crop. The 
husks, cobs, stalks, and leaves all remain on the land, and these, 
with the manure from the hogs, enrich the soil and add organic 
matter to it. 
The health of the hog is another important item. Hogs that have 
plenty of range and exercise are not nearly as susceptible to disease 
as those confined in a small pen. A hog that goes out after his feed 
will be well grown and thrifty, accustomed to the elements and not 
lable to be injured by a sudden change of weather. It is difficult 
to put a good finish on hogs while running in a large pasture. If 
they are allowed to run on good pasture until three weeks or a month 
before sending to market, and are then shut up and given all the 
corn they want, with plenty of pure water, they will make very rapid 
gains. 
This man allows his pigs to run in the corn as soon as the land is 
plowed the last time, but does not let the older hogs into the field 
until the corn is in good condition to feed in the fall. He says he 
has also had good results from letting cattle into the corn first and 
following these with hogs. He thinks this is the most practical 
solution of the labor problem when help is so high-priced and scarce. 
As stated in the beginning, it is the aim in this bulletin to deal 
with some of the practical problems that are confronting the farmers 
of this country. Facts that have come under the writer’s observation 
in the past year (1907) have been stated as concisely as possible and 
applied to the territory visited and to similar latitudes. It 1s impos- 
sible, as already stated, to prescribe for the wants of each individual 
farmer in the limits of a bulletin such as this. The facts are given in 
a general way, and it remains for each hog raiser to pick and choose 
for himself as his judgment dictates. 
111—Iv 
