SWINE. 385 



SWINE 



MIDDLESEX SOUTH. 



From the Report of the Committee. 



The committee appointed to examine and award premiums on 

 swine, at the exhibition of tlie Middlesex South Agricultural 

 Society, held on the 17th and 18th days of September, 1856, 

 have attended to that duty, and hereby ask leave to report. 



There is scarcely a place in domestic economy, commerce, or 

 the arts, in which some part of the swine is not indispensable ; 

 and no portion, not even the short hair, is thrown away. The 

 exportation of pork, bacon, hams and lard to all parts of the 

 world, is very large ; for notwithstanding the Jewish law, 

 swine's flesh is the principal food of a great portion of the 

 human race. The consumption of lard alone, in the form of 

 candles, oils, soaps, is extensive. To the apothecary it is " par- 

 maceti for an inward bruise," and doubtless enters into many a 

 healing and rejuvenating compound which would astonish the 

 poor animal could he be made to understand his destiny, — could 

 he but know as he lies down in " indolent vacuity of thought," 

 and " accumulates much grease, eating corn," that he shall yet 

 be bottled for " cod liver oil," or " bear's grease," or spread out 

 perhaps into the unctuous " poor man's plaster," or the all- 

 curing " Russia salve," to help feeble man the better " to grunt 

 and sweat under a weary life ;" — could he realize that his native 

 manners and habits are imitated by less useful beings, and that 

 even sausages are made, involving his very reputation, it is 

 impossible to say whether any common yoke could confine him to 

 his pen. But, after all, he is a very sensible beast, fulfils his 

 duties, and submits to his fate ; and, unlike man, " the good that 

 swine do lives after them," and their bones are made into buttons. 



From the best information we can obtain, the whole number 

 of swine in the United States cannot be less than 40,000,000, 

 which, if valued at |7 per head, would amount to ^280,000,000, 

 almost double the value of the cotton crop that forms so great an 

 item in the commerce of the world. If, therefore, the aggregate 

 value of the swine forms so important an item of our national 



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