398 STATE BOAKD OF AGRICULTUEE. 



there is not so much capital invested in the dam. Some of the finest pigs we 

 have ever raised have been grades. 



There may be men present who are having good success in breeding from one, 

 or two, or three fine bred sows, and find that they can raise pork profitably, but 

 they are obliged to give them the best of care, and even then, if they increase 

 their herd, they will find that some of their sows will prove barren, or will have 

 small litters, will lose their pigs, and other troubles that do not ordinarily affect 

 coarser sows. 



This is not mere theory, nor have we come to these conclusions from keeping 

 two or three pigs and read up the matter. We have tested it in the practical 

 way, to get at the value of almost everything — weighed it in the balance against 

 dollars and cents. We have for several years kept from fifty to two hundred 

 pigs, principally to furnish manure for gardening, and being obliged to buy a 

 large portion of our feed, have given the matter considerable study. We are 

 satisfied from experience that we cannot make the common hog profitable, while 

 the improved pig does pay. I am also well satisfied that breeding thoroughbred 

 pigs is a business of itself, requiring the same care and judgment that it does to 

 grow the fine breeds of cattle or horses. The ordinary farmer will not find it 

 profitable to raise pork from the fine thoroughbred sows, but he cannot afford 

 to be without the pure bred males to use on his common or grade swine. A far- 

 mer who has never fed any but the coarse common hog Avill be astonished 

 at the improvement that is made by crossing a fine boar on his common stock. 



