Page:Tree Crops; A Permanent Agriculture (1929).pdf/194

 "In the eastern part of Texas, or throughout that large forest region east of the Trinity River, I wish to say that the possibility by proper forest management of obtaining large quantities of feed for hogs is very great, and unappreciated by the people. It is merely incidentally taken advantage of, a good deal of the forest being unfenced and proper thinning and care of the trees utterly unknown.

"The oaks of that region can easily furnish in the fall and throughout most of the winter the major part of the large amount of food necessary for raising and fattening hogs.

"Proper thinning and judicious selection of good bearing oak trees would be a measure of high economic importance. The various individuals of the same species vary very much both in the amount of production and in size of the fruits. In many cases heavy-bearing trees can be selected, and the others of lesser value for the purpose might be cut out.

"It is not only hogs that thrive and fatten on the 'mast' of the forest, but also goats. During the early part of the season they feed on the underbrush and sprouts from the stumps of trees, and when fall comes they fatten readily on the acorns and other fruits. My personal experience is that in east Texas hogs can be raised cheaper than anywhere else, provided advantage is taken of the forest. It also happens that much of the land covered with forest is of such nature that it cannot be readily put into cultivation, owing to the unevenness of the ground in some cases; to poor drainage in others."

John C. Whitten, long horticulturist of Missouri, in discussing Missouri acorn pork production (see pages 143-144) concluded as follows:

"I am convinced of this, however, that a considerable portion of the hilly, not easily tillable, regions of this state may more profitably be left in woods to produce hog feed than cleared off for other purposes."

And all of this on the basis of wild seedling trees unim-