227 



If this proposition be correct, then the question arises, to what ani- 

 mals shall his coarse grains be fed, in order that he may realize the 

 greatest amount of profit ? In our present state of agriculture, it is my 

 opinion that the hog is by far the most profitable animal the farmer can 

 raise. In forming this conclusion I have not been influenced by the high 

 prices of pork and stock hogs, that have prevailed during the last year, 

 but I have taken into consideration the ruling rate for the last ten years, 

 and the probability of its continuing at the same, or at higher prices for 

 several years to come. The present demand for stock or store hogs, is 

 very great, and there is little danger but that it will continue. The 

 whole of the New England States, and a part of the States of New York , 

 Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Maryland are looking to the West to fill 

 their pens with store hogs. This demand has heretofore been supplied 

 principally from Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana and Illinois ; but there is no 

 good reason why Wisconsin should not assist in supplying the wants of 

 the East in this article, as her facilities for transporting it to market 

 are equal to any of these States. It will also give the producer a choice 

 between selling his hogs before or after they are fattened. 



Stock hogs can be transported from any of the Lake ports in Wiscon- 

 sin to the Brighton market for one dollar and fifty cents per hundred, so 

 that it is a safe calculation to estimate their price on any farm in this 

 State at two dollars and fifty cents per hundred, weighed up alive. And 

 it is equally as safe a calculation to estimate the average price of pork 

 at any of our Lake towns at three dollars per hundred, dressed. An 

 hundred pounds of pork can be produced at a less expense, in this State, 

 than an hundred pounds of beef, and it will command a higher price in 

 any market. An hundred dollars, invested in pigs, will gain faster, even 

 if the pigs be fed on grass, than the same amount invested in young cat- 

 tle. Two dollars and fifty cents per hundred for store hogs is a much 

 greater price than store cattle will sell for, in this State, weighed in the 

 .same way. Fattening pork presents this advantage : it enables the pro- 

 ducer to feed out all of his coarse grain on his own farm, which he ought 

 to do by all means ; and instead of hauling it to market at a great ex- 

 pense, he can make it walk to market with comparatively but a very little 

 expense. It would be interesting to see some four or five thousand bush- 

 els of grain, the production of our rich prairies, walking to market in a 

 large drove of fat hogs. 



In conclusion, permit me to say that I feel great interest in the welfare 



