For the Man on the Land

Waikato Independent, Volume XXXVI, Issue 3421, 18 February 1936, Page 7

For the Man on the Land

THE PIG INDUSTRY PREPARING FOR THE SHOW Attention to many details is necessary for the successful showing of pigs, and the breeder who is new to the game will be well advised to get the opinion of an expert on any animal that he believes is good enough for competition. The pig should be a true specimen of his breed and up to the standard of excellence. It is necessary to provide good warm quarters free from draught, and good beds of clean, dry, wheat straw. Show pigs should be fed at least four or five times a day in small quantities only, gruel thick. When the food is almost consumed, give a pint of milk and water; this encourages the pig to clean up the trough and is good for them also.

It is a good plan to walk the pigs out for a few minutes prior to each feed—they ease bowels and bladder and go back and enjoy their food. The pigs should be brushed with pig oil to clean the skin of scurf,

and kill lice. A brush-over each

day with a soft dandy is good for the hair. Look to the feet; wash them with salt and water, or water to which a little disinfectant has been added.

\ If one toe is longer than the other it should be pared to match; this enables the animal to walk true. Show pigs should be exercised at least once a day for 20 minutes. This is good for feet and legs and general condition. Get the pigs to walk and obey the steering of your stick. The pigs will need to be washed

* once or twice at home, and a final ' wash should be given on the show ground early on the morning of the judging. You will not be allowed to use any powder or artificial colouring. Obey the judge and take his decision without a murmur. Keep your eye on your pig, not the judge. Take trough and food with you. It is as well to take some straw, although straw is provided at the show, or ( -may be bought on the ground. * ' Feed very sparingly before you

load up. Take a sail-cloth with which to sheet your pen at night, or

your pig may get a chill as the pen on the showground is not as warm as the pen at home. After washing the pig on the morning of judging, walk him about before you put him in the pen. If the weather is hot he may refuse to eat; give him water and green food for sale at most shows.

During the very hot weather pigs have been known to die at shows. Take a bottle of vinegar and if your pig is affected bathe him between the ears and along the neck with half vinegar and half water —this will save him. If he is distressed by heat give water only. Feed late in the evening when he has become normal. FOOD PROBLEMS WAR-TIME EXPERIENCES IMPORTANCE OF POTATOES. Who did win the war ? In the opinion of Mr Tweedy Smith it was not any one particular nation, even the United States, but plain potatoes. Mr Smith said in Christchurch that he could prove it. Mr Smith, an Englishman now visiting Christchurch, was closely connected with the Ministry of Food during the war. He was director of food in the supplementary rations section, a position to which he was appointed after being invalided home from Flanders.

The pui’pose of the Ministry of Food was to ensure a good and continuous food supply throughout Great Britain when the German submarines were playing havoc with British shipping. “People at the time thought we were fools,” said Mr Smith, “but they had no conception of the problems we were facing, nor could we tell them.” When supplies of wheat and flour were scarce, as they often were, authority was given to adulterate those on hand with potatoes. It was not done haph&zardly, but under scientific direction and on the advice of medical men. Anxious Moments.

It had been established, too, that under this scheme the health of the people showed a decided improvement and they came to like what was known

at the time as standard bread. The Ministry* said Mr Smith, had to work on the narrowest margin and there were many anxious moments. Great Britain was divided up into districts according to the population, each area receiving its due proportion. When beef was short, for instance, the people were forced to eat mutton by a higher coupon value being placed on beef, and they could not buy as much as formerly. The public did not know why such measures were taken and regarded the offirials of the Ministry as amiable but foolish old gentlemen, able to indulge any of iheir fancies. Spies at Work. There was another aspect of the work, too. German spies were always anxious to ferret out information concerning the date of the arrival of ships. It happened very often that Mr Smith was rung up, and inquiries made on these lines. In such cases it was his practice to go to another telephone and have the exchange make inquiries concerning the location of the call. As director under the supplementary rations scheme it was one of Mr Smith’s duties to determine what persons were entitled to the extra rations. Some interesting information came i his way in this regard. The position j of women in the munition factories was one instance. Tests had shown j that women ate 25 per cent, less than j men, and rations had been issued accordingly. Even when the tests were J made, an unlimited quantity of food j being supplied, the proportion worked j out perfectly. Women or Men ? Then there was the question also of the respective capabilities of women and men in the munition factories, more particulaxdy with regard to the manufacture of heavy shells. It had to be established that two men would make as many shells as three women in the same time. Mr Smith, who practised as a lawyer for many years, is a director of several London companies, the Park Lane Hotel, the General and Sun Electrical Company, Ltd., and the Rawl Plug Company, Ltd. For 36 years he has been engaged in public works and three times has been defeated at the parliamentary elections. He has been an alderman of Southend-on-Sea, and twice Mayor of the county.