Walnut Hill Guy C. Barton's Breeding Ranch
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XUlFnSDTMi CARNS Arm YAllDS-rholo ly a Staff Artist
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T IS doubtful that there are many
whi4;now thut at Giluiure, Neb.,
there is one of the most extensive
Berkshire breeding establishment
in America. This breeding farm
iu Wulnut Lodge and is owned by Guy C.
Barton of Omaha, who has extensive inter
ests with different smelting and paving con
cerns ot tnat ;luce.
Wiilnut Lodge is truly a boauliful place,
und 1 should say a moat Ideal farm. It con
sists of '.'5 acr. s th it li -a beautifully arour.d
the li.lu 1'ni.jii I'aelllc station, which is
the only evidence of the place called (til
more. Jn reality Gilniore eemsists of this
llttl; depot and thii buildings belonging to
the Walnut Ledge farm. There are many
larger farms than this, but there are few
where over 1,0 W Head of purebred Berkshire
r.o;.! ate laii-ed ar.d fed out each year, and
there are few of such pretentious Improve
ments and that are so perfectly kept. I
should have culled thlj the 'ideal farm"
had I ranied it, for I have never visited a
farm that is so neatly kept und so well
tnan;:ciil.
I Co not know what moved Mr. Barton to
establish this breeding farm. Probably he
boughj the land In an early day und us the
true vulne of it became known he deter
mined to develop it into a beautiful farm
l:onie, where he, with his family and
friends, might go to spend the warm sum
mer months.
The views hero given will Berve in, part to
cenvey a vague Idea of the beauty of the
farm, but the real serenity and quietude of
the place cannot be appreciated until one
would see the large modern home located
at the top of the little knoll, which, us it
gently Inclines, Bervcs as a home for the
rich blue glass under the large, spreading
elms, nnd at the foot is the little lake, with
the weeping willow o'er stretched und seem
ingly anxious to suggest a sad, eweet story.
The effan, graveled walks and drives add
to the beauty of the scene, and there Is a
green house of the swoe'.cst (lowers that
ever grew. During the summer months
these (lowers arc planted along the drives.
In the lawns and around the lake, anywhere,
that they may enhance the beauty of the
home and serve the kindly purpose for
which they wcro Intended.
I suppose it was in accordance with Mr.
Burton's business ideas that have won for
him the smiles of fortune, that he put
Berkshire hogs, good cattle and fancy
chickens here to pay sustenance for such
a home.
For the man who thinks that purebred
hogs cannot be raised on a large scale with
success, he should visit this Berkshire farm
One hundred and twenty-five sows are bred
each year und nre given Individual atten
tion from the time they farrow.
The farm Is divided Into two breeding
and feeding establishments. On the "South
farm" the sows and pigs are kept until
the pigs are about three months old and
are then transferred to the other farm,
where they are fed out and hauled to the
South Omaha market, which la about four
miles distant.
A word about the frrowtng barns: There
are two of these on the "South farm," one
Is 26x90 feet with thirty-two pens 5x10 feet,
while the other Is 24xti0 feet, with twenty.,
four pens 6x8 feet. In each of these In
dividual pens Is a false floor half the size
of the pen that serves to keep the pigs up
out of the wet and the beds ure always
dry. Tho floors have a four-Inch drop to
the back. Outside of the barns nre In
dividual lots thirty-two feet long and tho
same width as the pens inside, that nfford
exercise for the sows and pigs until the
little fellows are old enough to be put
are about 150 head that nre registered or
are eligible to registry. Iist fall Mr.
Barton made a trip to tho Itiltmore farms
and bought three or four head, some of
which are Imported animals, at prices that
would put to shame any prices that have
ever been heretofore paid for hogs in
this state, and considered extravagant by
ones of more narrow ideas of the hog busi
ness. But tho animals procured are cer
tainly good ones, and well worth every ceut
paid for I hum.
herd there nre right head from the I tilt -more
farms, all good ones and extra well
bred.
For the- Biicoess that has been made with
this farm the greater portion Is duo V.
(1. luvhi, who has been manager for sev
eral years, and is a man of good Judg
ment and steady purpose. Indeed the de
velopment of the farm and stock has been
managed nxist cltleli ntly and Mr. Iavls de
serves tho credit, for he has managed it
all. There are uiuuy who would say that
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BELM'TIFlTi FARM 1IOMK OF
1'hoto by a Btaff Artist.
GUY C. BARTON, FnOI'IMETOK WALNL'T HIM BERKSHIRE FARM, GILMORi:, Neb.
out onto the pastures with their dams.
The pigs are taught to eat at tho earliest
possible age nnd arc never allowed to stop
growing. When they are largo enough to
bo taken away from the dams they arc
removed to the feeding farm and are placed
about ninety head In each of several lots,
where they have access to alfalfa and other
kinds of pasture, and are fed soaked corn
twice per day, with slop once per day. It
can readily be seen that with such care
as this they would grow every rapidly and
go onto the market weighing 350 to 400
pounds at from 9 to 12 months old.
The Berkshlres on this farm have always
been kept pure, but It was not until recent
years that Mr. Barton conceived the Idea
ot keploff them reguter4. Now there
Of tho twenty-eight registered brood sows
In the herd three are Imported. The boar.
Luster's Topper 2d 54!I25, now nt the head
of the herd, I believe to be one of the best
Individuals of the breed. His sire is Imp.
Hlgbcleve Topper BfilTT, and his dam is
Imp. Luster 2d A5lllX. This is a boar of
strong breeding character, plenty of (UaV
lty, fine head and ear, the best of feet and
legs, a great, strong, broad back and loin
nnd perfect iu heart girth. In breeding
condition ho will weigh right ut 700 pounds,
and is as active us a pig. This is u show
boar of tho truest type. A young boar has
Just been procured from the lilltiuore farms
that is a tine, smooth fellow, with good
bone and good feet and legs, and will
develop luto a large, useful boar. In tho
the methods here employed are not prac
tical, and, although It is a great expense
to keep ho much help for keeping lawns
mowed, buildings painted, walks and drives
clean and neat, a green house that takes
the entire time of one man and other
things In the same proportion, I cannot
keep from thinking that It will pay In
every Instance. At least I would say thut
the hogs here are raised In more cleanly
quarters and with greater care and more
pueeessfully than in three-fourths of the
herds of purebred stock threiugheiut the
stales, that number not over 150 head. It
ull goes to show that It pays to take the
ve-ry best ef e'are of purebred stock, even at
un extra expense, for it Is economy In lb.
cud.
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EEDlKO TARI8 AND EARNS WIIERH HOG3 ARB FINISHED FOft "MAIiKfe'l-riio'to by a'StafTATftst
