FOOTNOTES:
[23] The Sussex (Eng.) Express says, "At our farm we have been in the habit of employing parsnips for this purpose for some time. Upon reference to our books, we find that on the 11th of October, 1847, we put up two shotes of eleven weeks old, and fed them on skim milk and parsnips for three months, when they were killed, weighing 231 and 238 pounds. They were well fattened, firm in flesh, and the meat of excellent flavor. The quantity of parsnips consumed by them was nine bushels each."
FATTENING HOGS.
F. Dodge, of Danvers, Mass., states that, in the spring of 1848, he "bought, from a drove, seven shotes, the total weight of which was 925 pounds. The price paid for them was seven cents per pound. They were fed an average of 184 days, and their average gain was 179 pounds of net pork. The cost of the food they consumed was as follows:—
| 68 bushels corn at 53 cents, | $36 04 |
| 30 bushels corn damaged, at 35 cents, | 10 50 |
| 50 bushels corn at 65 cents, | 32 50 |
| 8 bushels meal at 65 cents, | 5 20 |
| $84 24 | |
| Add first cost of pigs, | 64 75 |
| Making a total cost of | $148 99 |
"The whole quantity of pork afforded by the pigs killed was 2178 pounds, which was sold at 6-1/3 cents per pound, amounting to $141 57; leaving a balance against the pigs of $7 42. The inference from this statement is, that, at the above prices of grain, pork could not be profitably produced at six and a half cents per pound. But it is suggested that something might be saved by breeding the stock, instead of purchasing shotes at seven cents per pound, live weight. It is thought, however, that the manure afforded by the hogs would be of sufficient value to more than overbalance any deficiency which might appear in the account by only crediting the pork."
The food in the above case was too costly. One half of it, mixed with parsnips, carrots, beets, or turnips, would have answered the purpose better. The balance would then have been in favor of the pigs. We are told, by an able writer on swine, that they will feed greedily, and thrive surprisingly, on most kinds of roots and tubers, such as carrots, beets, parsnips, potatoes, &c., particularly when prepared by boiling. It may be taken as a general rule, that boiled or prepared food is more nutritious and fattening than raw cold food; the additional expense and labor will be more than compensated by the increased weight and quality.
Cornstalks might be used as food for swine by first cutting them[24] in small pieces, and then boiling them until they are quite soft; a small quantity of meal is then to be mixed in the fluid, and the stalks again added, and fed to the pigs twice a day.
Mr. P. Wing, of Farmersville, C. W., gives us his experience in feeding swine; and he requests his brother farmers to make similar experiments with various kinds of food, and, by preparing them in various ways, to ascertain what way it will yield the most nutriment—that is, make the most pork. He says,—