Meat Production for New England 
Connecticut imports 75 per cent of what she eats. 
This includes meat. One firm in the State brings in a 
trainload a year of Western-grown hogs. What are the 
possibilities of raising hogs in New England and mar¬ 
keting them at the weight of 2(H) or 300 lbs., assuming 
that we can grow leguminous crops and provide rape 
pasture, and finish them on corn and Soy beans? What 
is the differential against Chicago or Iowa, or other 
corn belt districts, in favor of the home grower? 
INQUISITIVE. 
ONNECTICT'T is not the only State that im¬ 
ports a largo percentage of her food products. 
It is a condition that prevails throughout New 
England and is, in my judgment, one of the main 
factors that contribute to the so-called high cost of 
living. While it is true that crop yields have been 
relatively high during the past few years, it is also 
a fact that vast areas of agricultural land have 
been withdrawn from production, particularly 
throughout New England, where the prices paid for 
labor at the factories have been so much higher 
appreciate the . importance of forage crops in liis 
swine growing and feeding operations, and has found 
out to his sorrow that the growing and feeding of 
corn alone will not make it possible for him to 
produce pork and market it at a profit. Years ago 
it was prudent to advise the corncrih cross, while 
today it is imperative that the forage-crop cross he 
introduced if gains are to he made at a profit. 
Many of us can scarcely believe that the actual 
yield per acre of corn is greater in Connecticut than 
obtains in Iowa or Illinois. It is true that there are 
not as many acres and that the corn is produced iu 
small unit areas at a cost considerably greater per 
bushel than prevails in the corn belt. However, it 
is possible to grow corn, barley and forage crops 
quite generally through New England, and these 
few crops actually determine profit or loss in pork 
production. Sooner or later land values will he 
course the Western farmer markets his live stock 
in carload lots, while the Eastern farmer virtually 
markets in the crate, or in the carcass; but if pork 
production could establish itself in any given dis¬ 
trict there is little doubt that some community 
organization, such as the Farm Bureau, would 
arrange to assemble tlie market animals and ship 
them to market centers in carload lots. 
If the farm in question will produce coni, 
leguminous forage crops, rape, Soy beans and the 
clovers, there is not a shadow of doubt that you 
would be more than justified in undertaking the 
breeding and feeding of swine to supply in part your 
local market. I am convinced that a pound of pork 
can be produced in Connecticut more economically 
than it can be produced in Iowa, and it is generally 
admitted that swine-growing has enriched more 
farmers in the State of Iowa than any other one 
tip wn 
Ilutix trilli Self-feeder in a Field <>f Unix. Feas and Dwarf Fssc.r Rape on the Sew Jergey F-rpei intent Station Farm 
• bau the farmer could withstand that he has been 
unable to secure suitable labor to continue even his 
meager farm o or done. Just what ty u of farming 
'' ill make it possib' „ to bring this lam into profit¬ 
able production L: .. deb table q ostion. 
One fact is easy to establish, it is simply this: 
Successful live stock production must he based upon 
•ihe utilization of available meadows and pastures. 
Veil ot the land that is unproductive is well suited 
for pasturing purposes and the production of forage 
mops suitable for the feeding of swine, and as you 
ii.ue suggested, this line of meat production ought 
' * attract and interest the Connecticut farmer. Many 
us have been misled to believe that the breeding 
•uni feeding oi swine must o i necessity be confined 
i 1 the corn belt, where corn and ! ts accompanying 
<creal crops yield most . ’-uiulaut'y. If we judge 
11 -lit. wen ine corn holt aiviuer is beginning to 
based upon production rather than mere loco don. 
When this time comes someone will he holding the 
hag on much of the Towa and Hliuois land that is 
now changing hands at $300 and $400 an acre, and 
it will bring an actual value t<> much of the land in 
the East that is selling at from $50 to $.0 an acre. 
Delayed transportation, with increased freight 
rates, will bring the New England farmer to the 
realization that ho can grow his pork and beef and 
feed much cheaper than he can buy it in the "West, 
and gradually he will introduce grazing animals, and 
thus make use of much of the land i . t is now 
actually abandoned. The .freight rate from Chicago 
to Now York in carload lots for live stock b in the 
neighborhood of 75 cents a hundred. The Eastern 
farmer who produces beef or pork is clearly entitled 
to Chicago juices plus the differential in Ireignt, 
which will amount to fully 50 cents a hundred. Of 
line of agricultural endeavor iu that great State. 
The New England farmer who introduces the 
utility type of market hog. and is so situated that 
he can grow for the most part the products that he 
feeds, will not he disappointed in the result of his 
activities. Of course there are fundamental prin¬ 
ciples that must he met in the choosing of a farm 
and adapting it to meat production, and it would 
require some time to establish the industry on a unit 
extensive enough to provide a substantial income. 
The Eastern farmer must turn to live stock pro¬ 
duction. and it is most likely that he will patte: a 
Ills operations after the British tenant farmer, who 
keeps a few horses, a few cows, a few beef animals, 
together with hogs, sheep and poultry, thus making 
it possible for him to produce foi his own community 
all of the food products that they will require in 
their daily life. f. c. m. 
