After the foregoing matter had all

12.

Hog"

;

been written I found the following from "Navin on the Hog," and which he

it a place, for I know it will prove valuable for

all the conditions for which he recommends it.

He says:

so highly extols, I must give

—

L For Hogs. Ginger and sulphate of iron (copperas), each 4 ozs. black

antimony, sulphur and nitre (saltpetre), each 2 ozs. All pulverized and mixed.

;

:

DR. CHASE'S RECIPES.

748

For a hog less than 150

DosCv for a large hog, 1 tea-spoonful 3 times a day.

a level tea-spoonful only; smaller according to size.

Remarks. He does not say how to give it, bi'*^. like the others, I should

lbs.,

—

give it in a little slops or if the hog is too dumpish to eat, drench it in a little

He claims to have used it successfully in every case, from the

slop or gruel.

commencement of the disease in his neighborhood. It being his condition

;

If diarrhoea in the hogs has

powder, in use by him for ten years for horses.

he takes alum, 2 ozs., and white-oak inner bark, 2 ozs., steeping the

bark, mixing in the alum, and gives; and if it continues obstinate he gives

continuing the

lard, 1 lb. melted with spirits of turpentine, 1 table-spoonful

set in,

;

powder till the hair is bright, and the skin clean and healthy. He says it

never failed him in ten years use of it, even in the last stages of the disease.

For Chickens. He says, also, it is good for chicken cholera, 1 tearspoonful in 1 pint of dough for 1 dozen chickens.

We shall have something now to say upon the subject of feeding and

fattening hogs, and also upon the question as to the value of charcoal or

carbon in some form as preventive as well as curative of other diseases, as

diarrhoea or scours of hogs, arising from over-feeding while fattening, etc.

The importance of charcoal for hogs while fattening is so generally believed

we can scarcely open an agricultural paper which does not have something in its

columns upon it. I will give the opinions of a few papers and persons, whose

experience enables them to write what they know, and what the author feels

assured he can recommend to his readers, to go and do likewise, expecting to

Under the head of

receive the same satisfaction.

—

Carbon for Hogs, the Western Rural says:

"There is no doubt in our mind of the benefit from feeding crude carbonaceous matter to swine when they are kept in close pens. The avidity with

which hogs eat rotten wood is well known. Charcoal is but another form of

carbon. Bituminous (havmg a kind of mineral filth in it, over soft mineral

The utility of feeding wood and coal has long

coal,) is still another form.

been recognized. We, some years since, substituted the ordinary Western

stone coal with the best results, where from two to five hundred hogs were

Something of the

kept in close pens and fed on the refuse of the city hotels.

kind seems as necessary to them as salt to strictly herbivorous (herb-eating)

animals. We have known them to consume a pound in the course of a day,

Just what particular

and again they would not seek the coal for some time.

use the coal is in the animal economy is not so easy to answer. Swine are

Carbon, in the shape

especially liable to scrofulous and inflammatory diseases.

of coal, is an antiseptic, and the probability is that it acts in this way in purifying the blood.'

_

Charcoal, or Burnt Corn for Hogs.—Under this head the New

England Farmer says

"We have but little doubt that charcoal is one of the best known remeusually having disordered

dies for the disordered state into which hogs drift

;

bowels, all the time giving off the worst kinds of evacuation. Probably the

best form in which charcoal can be given is in the form of burnt corn perhaps, because when given in other forms the hogs do not get enough.

— A

about which a large number of hogs were kept.

Cholera prevailed among these hogs somewhat extensively. In the burning of

distillery was burnt in Illinois,

DOMESTIC ANIMALS.

749

the buildings a large amount of corn was consumed. To this burnt anft partially burnt corn the hogs had access at will, and the sick commenced recovering at once, and a large proportion of them got well. Many farmers have

practiced feeding scorched corn, putting it into a stove, or building a fire upon

the ground, placing the ears upon it, leaving them till pretty well charred.

Hogs fed on still slops are liable to be attacked by irritation of the stomach

and bowels, coming from too free generation of acid, from fermentation of

food after eaten. Charcoal, whether it be produced by burning corn or wood,

will neutralize the acid, in this way removing the irritating cause.

The charcoal will be relished to the extent of getting rid of the acid, and beyond that

it may not be.

Hence it is well to let the wants of «the hog be settled by thq

hog himself."

Mineral Coal for Hogs.

Prairie Farmer,

—The following'

is

from Judge Katon,

in

He says

"The hog seems to crave carbon in a concentrated form, and hence we

may conclude it is necessary to his well-being.

He will eat charcoal freely,

which is tasteless and not nutritious. From the same natural prompting we

see them eat wood when so decayed that they can do so.

"For myself I have for many years been in the habit of feeding my hogs

with an abundance of our common bituminous (soft) coal, preferring the poorest, or that which contains a large amount of sulphur and iron, and, I think,

with the happiest results. [Where iron is needed see those recipes containing

copperas, which is the sulphate of iron

a good remedy for me.] Let a

farmer who has never tried it throw in a lump of coal as large as his fist, and

he will be surprised to see the hog leave the corn and crunch the coal, as if it

Sulphur has long been known as a valuable

were the most luscious morsel.

remedial agent for hogs, and iron is a well-known tonic, acting specifically

upon the blood, thickening and strengthening it. Here, then the hog, by

—

eating the coal, gets other important elements besides the carbon.

"I have never known a hog well supplied with this coal, to be sick, or off

his feed for a single day, and although I cannot give figures showing actual

results of careful experiments to prove it, I believe hogs thus supplied will eat

more and assimilate their food better, will make appreciably more pork, with

At least, I am well

a given amount of corn, than those which are without it.

grow and fatten under this

satisfied with the way in which my hogs thrive

treatment.

Coal is cheap, and others, if they have not done so, may try it

at little expense."

—

—

—

Remarks. It can thus be seen not only how generj»^l the opinion is, that

carbon charcoal, soft, or bituminous mineral coal, or properly and thoroughly burned com are carbon is almost, if not absolutely necessary for hogs

while fattening and it is as well known also, that when they are pretty well

fattened is the time when their stomachs are the most likely to get out of order

from the over-feeding, or perhaps, more properly speaking, long and constant

feeding. They refuse their food, become dumpish, and perhaps scours or diar-

—

—

—

—

;

rhcea sets in, and all the labor of feeding, and the value of the hog

is lost

by

neglect to see that charcoal, soft or mineral coal, with plenty of sulphur in it

or the burnt corn has been fed, or kept where the hogs could have free access

and salt and wood ashes mixed and kept also where they can partake

to them;

of them as they like, should be attended to early in the fattening if you would

These more simple remedies will be found all-sulficient

when it is, then prepare also some of the preventives against that disease, which see above, which alwavs means given

avoid loss in the end.

when cholera is not prevailing

before in this book.

;

A

DR. CHASE'S RECIPES.

750

—

Hogs, Preparing Food for Peas claimed Better than Corn.—

The Fostoria Review informs us that a writer in one of their exchanges states:

" The present practice in any country, I believe, is to prepare food for

hogs either by steeping, steaming or boiling, under the belief that cooking in

any shape is better than giving in the raw state. But I now assert, on the

strongest possible grounds by evidence indisputable, again and again proved

by actual trials, in various temperatures, with a variety of the same ai^imale,

variously conducted that for fast and cheap production of pork, raw peas are

hfty per cent, better than cooked peas or Indian corn in any shape."

—

—

—

Remarks. I am well ftware that raw peas, when young, that is, growing,

but being what we know as " full," i. e. got their full size and ready to use "at

table," if cut up and fed to hogs thus, they thrive and grow upon them very

As it is from decided statements of this kind that others are induced to

fast.

try the experiment for themselves, and establish or refute euch statements, I

have given it a place. I have not a doubt but what the writer is honest in his

position, and if further test shall prove it true, generally, there may be considerable profit to those who can raise more peas than corn to the acre, which no

doubt many can. Still, I must say that I believe more pork can be made in

the same time from either peas or corn if they are ground and properly cooked,

or boiling water, at least, poured upon the meal, and the meal stirred as it

should be, as will be seen in fattening cattle, than if fed unground and

uncooked. There can be no doubt upon this position of properly cooked food

heing better for fattening purposes than uncooked. See " Meal and Hay for

Fattening Stock— Scalding the Meal a great Saving."

Hog Feeding Experience of an Iowa Breeder and Packer.—

hog breeder and pork packer

of

Iowa gives his experience

in the business

to one of the agricultural papers as follows: He has demonstrated to his

entire satisfaction that after his spring pigs had reached about 300 lbs. they

ceased to grow with any profit. His pigs on the first of January weighed

nearly as much as they did on the first of February, notwithstanding he had

kept up the feeding. He is a great advocate of taking good care of hogs. He

would never shut up his hogs more than five weeks before he wants to market

them. His food early in the fall was pumpkins, steamed and mixed with

middlings, the proportion being about one-half a bu. of middlings to 40 gals.

of steamed pumpkins. His object was to develop the bone and muscle of the

hog without adding fat. This he continued three months, and then put them

in a close pen and fed them meal and middlings steamed. After shutting them

up for five weeks they gained two pounds a day until they reached 300 lbs.,

and then ceased to grow to any extent.

Remarks. Where this man used middlings to thicken his steamed pumpkin, to give bone and muscle, or to make his pigs grow, would be just the

place for pea and oat meal to come in, as oats are generally sowed with peas,

to help hold them up, as peas fill better if they stand up than they do when

Boiled or steamed

fallen down, as they almost always do if sowed alone.

potatoes, when they are plenty, when the pumpkins are all used up, or part

pumpkins and a part potatoes do excellently well, thickening with the pea and

—

DOMESTIC ANIMALS.

oat meal, and

751

would generally be considered cheaper than the middlings aa

above mentioned.

Hogs— Corn Claimed to be the Best Food for, and Best when

Cooked. — I am well aware that there are some people who yet think that it

not at all necessary to cook food for hogs, or other stock. I do not propose to enter into the discussion of the subject. I will say that I think common sense tells us that it is better to cook food to fatten hogs but I will give

an item from the American Rural Home, which was given under the above

heading, then let every one judge for himself as to whether it is best to

grind and cook corn, or to let the hogs grind and cook it for themselves. The

item is as follows:

" Corn is the best feed for hogs, and may be fed in the ear, while soft, but

when hard, should be ground fine and wet with hot water, or otherwise

cooked, for it has been proved, by repeated experiments, that corn thus fed

will make from one-third to one-half more pork than when fed unground and

uncooked

and a bushel should make from ten to twelve pounds of meat

when thus fed to good feeding stock."

Remark. See above, Preparing Food for Hogs, Peas Claimed Better than

is

;

;

—

Corn, etc.

Fattening Hogs, Roots Valuable for,—The Dublin Farrmr^

Gazette gives the following as to the value of roots for fattening pigs.

is quite often used

"Pigs"

while speaking of these animals, when hogs would be the

proper word. It says

" Parsnips, carrots, Swedish turnips, and especially mangel-wurzel, will

These roots ought not to be given in a raw state, but always

all fatten pigs.

cooked and mixed with beans, peas, Indian corn, oats or barley, all of which

must be ground into meal.

When pigs are fed on such cooked food as we

have stated, the poik acquires a peculiarly rich flavor, and is much esteemed,

especially for family use.

Store Pigs, Value of Roots for.— The following Item from the

American Agriculturist will strengthen the above idea from the Gazette, and

add another root to the list, as this item, no doubt, refers to the common field

turnip, which is not enumerated in the other.

I must add, however, what the

Agriculturist does not mention, and that is, I think the turnips should be

cooked.

It says

" Store pigs will thrive well on roots with a slop of bran, sour milk and

water. A supply of roots on hand will greatly reduce the cost of feeding

Turnips that cannot well be fed to cows may be given to the pigs.

store pigs.

Give your pigs a warm, dry bed."

Remarks. It will be seen by referring to the Cattle Department that if the

rootlets are trimmed off of the turnips, they can be fed to milch cows, without

—

flavoring the milk.

Store Pigs and Breeding Sows, Corn and Oats Ground Together for, Better than Either Alone. A writer upon this subject

—

says

:

" A bushel of corn weighs nearly twice as much as a bushel of oats, but

ground together the mixture makes a better feed for growing pigs and

breeding sows than either grain alone."

if

-OiJ.

753

CHASE'S RECIPES.

—

—

Remarks. There is not a doubt but what this is a fact oats too light,

and corn heavier and more heating but when ground together, thej

combine all the elements needed for making growth but there is not a doubt,

either, if they have a good patch of the artichoke to run to, named in the next

Try them, if you

item, they will thrive equally well on much less of meal.

want a good thing for hogs, ov children, either. Most persons are fond of

them raw, as they have a pleasant sweetish taste. It is claimed, also, that they

alone,

;

;

are a good preventive against hog cholera

for,

Growing Hogs and Breeding Sows, Artichokes Valuable

Amount Raised to the Acre.— Prof. Johnson, the farm superin-

tendent of the Agricultural College of Michigan, has given a good deal of

attention to the artichoke as food for hogs, and thinks they are not only

For fattening

healthful, but that they give a certain sweetness to the pork.

but for growing

purposes, he says, " corn will always be most valuable

swine, and before the fattening process begins, the artichoke furnishes excel;

lent food."

He planted a patch near the pens, and turned the breeding sows

into them early in the spring, allowing them to " root, hog, or die," as suited

them best, but found that the artichoke furnished a succulent, juicy food for

the sows, just when it was most needed, and most difficult to obtain from

other sources.

Artichokes.— Amount to the Acre, Labor of Raising, Getting

Rid of them when desired, and Preventive of Cholera, etc.— I.

but very

It is

little

labor to raise artichokes.

Plant on good soil, properly

plowed and harrowed, then furrow it two or three feet apart as you choose,

and an eye dropped every few inches, and properly covered, is about all the

trouble for they ^row quickly and spread all over the ground so as to keep

down weeds, especially after the first season. They yield from 300 to 800 or

more bushels to the acre; the hogs dig them as wanted, and all they want, and

;

by plowing them up in June, when the tops are about a foot in height,

they can be exterminated if desired. My father always used to have them

growing along the garden fence for the pleasure of us children, but sixty years

ago there was but little known of their value for swine, but many a one have I

it is said

dug for eating raw, and for mother to pickle for table use, if the other pickles

run out before spring. Of course the winter does not hurt them. A writer

speaking of the danger of frost upon the ordinary roots for stock, says: " Beets

endure but little frost, turnips improve with a little, carrots stand a good deal

of it, but parsnips, salsify, and artichokes may be left out all winter with

advantage."

II.

Preventive of Cholera.—Another

writer says:

"Where the

artichoke is planted largely in districts as food for hogs, the cholera has prevailed only to a very limited extent."

Apples Good for Hogs, and Hogs Running in the Orchard

Destroy the Codling Moth.— Fallen apples may be gathered and fed,

profitably to hogs, horses or cattle in moderation; but where one has enough

DOMESTIC ANIMALS.

753

hogs to consume all as they

fall, it is probably the best thing to do to turn

them into the orchard; as those that fall early, especially, contain the moth,

whose sting, or eating into its heart, has caused it to fall thus early. The word

codlin, as Shakespeare has it, means "almost an apple," hence we get the

"codlin," or "codling moth" a moth that makes codlins, or early falling

apples, which, if not eaten or picked up soon and carried out of the orchard,

the moth will return to the tree for further depredation and its own increase.

" The destruction of the early fallen apples also destroys the moths and saves

the remainder left upon the trees."

—

Sows Eating their Pigs, to Prevent, and Cure the Habit.— I.

To prevent it, keep a trough of the following mixture where all the hogs can

have access to it: Wood ashes, salt, sulphur and powdered charcoal, ia about

equal bulk, mixed, and see especially that sows partake of it about this period

then if they commence the eating of their young, give them in small pieces one

pound of salt pork; and ten or twelve hours later give them half as much

more as long as they will eat it, and see also that they have frequent tastes of

this preventive mixture.

n.

To Cure the Habit. —A little salt daily and a handful of charcoal

to each hog once a week, it is claimed, will prevent cholera and other diseases;

then, if the above mixture is kept where all hogs can eat of it at their pleasure,

the author will guarantee it preferable to the salt and charcoal alone.

if cholera

Still,

was prevailing in a neighborhood, he would advise some of the pre-

ventives found under that head, having antimony, saltpeter, etc., with the salt

and charcoal. Keep on the safe side is a good motto to go by. And it is by

thus satisfying the natural desire for what their systems need, that a ravenous

taste is prevented, that of eating their pigs.

Scurvy Pigs, Simple Remedy.—Wash the scurvy hair and all parts

troubled with the scurf thoroughly every day for a few times with buttermilk.

A farmer who has tried this so many times as to be sure of his position, sayss

"It will entirely and speedily remove the scurf."

Lice on Hogs,