Jasper County Democrat, Volume 13, Number 81, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 January 1911 — HOGS HAVE A HUMAN THIRST [ARTICLE]

HOGS HAVE A HUMAN THIRST

Eat Decaying Osage Oranges for Alcohol and Get Drunk. Westbro, Mo., Jan. 23.—That hogs have an appetite for intoxicants has been clearly demonstrated on the farm of Ben B. Hurts, near here. Around a portion of the Hurts farm there is a hedge of osage oranges, and last year the trees bore an abundance of fruit. Knowing that it was ornamental instead of useful, Mr. Hurts left it lying on the ground, where it fell. Early snow covered the oranges. After it melted the fruit commenced to decay. The hogs were turned into the lot, and they would leaye their corn to eat the oranges. After 'each feed on oranges the hogs seemed to be hilarious. ' Mr. Hurts concluded to investigate Gathering up a wagonload of the osage oranges, he took them to the yards and fed themTo the hogs. An hour later every hog was hopelessly drunk, running about the pens, squealing and cutting antics. Later all the hogs fell into a drunken sleep that lasted for hours.