286 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



much or more than it would liave sold for in the market, besides leaving me a 

 large manure pile, which I think worth more than the work taking care of 

 cattle. 



If in what I have written there be found a suggestion that should prove 

 profitable to an individual, I shall feci that my object has been fully attained. 



THE BEST BREED OF HOGS FOR THIS LOCALITY. 



BY A. AVHITNEY. 

 [Read at Trent Institute.] 



This is a question of vast importance to farmers. The hog, in my opinion, 

 is the most profitable stock kept on the farm, as far as dollars and cents are 

 concerned ; the best machine for converting our coarse grain and offal into 

 money. The hog is not a dainty animal by nature, but preferring good feed 

 to poor, and like other stock, the better they are fed and cared for the more 

 profitable they are. It is stated by eminent writers on the subject, that it 

 takes but a trifle more than half the fertility from the soil to produce a ton 

 of pork than it does to produce a ton of beef or mutton, and takes not much 

 more than half of the feed to produce it. If this be a fact, then I assume 

 the profitableness of the hog is established. 



The next question to be considered is, "What is the most profitable breed 

 to raise?" I answer, the breed that will produce the most pork for the 

 feed they consume. Fancy may dictate a hog of a particular color, but as the 

 pork is just as sweet and commands just as high a price in market from a 

 black hog as a white one, I shall not take color into consideration. There are 

 some of the small breeds of hogs, such as the Suffolk, Yorkshire, and Essex, 

 that keep and fatten very easily ; but there are very serious objections to them 

 in my way of thinking, namely : They are too short-bodied, although pro- 

 ducing very good hams and shoulders, but hardly any side pork; besides some 

 of these have not hair enough to protect them from from the winter's cold or 

 the summer's sun; and when fattened there is not much of them at best. 

 On the other hand, some of the larger breeds, such as Chester White and 

 Jersey Reds, will produce a large amount of pork, but it takes them a great 

 ■while to mature and a great amount of feed to fatten them. We want a breed 

 of hogs that combines the qualities of both the large and small breeds that we 

 have in the Poland China; they combine all of the excellencies of both the 

 large and small breeds, being very quiet and docile, excellent feeders and 

 breeders, capable of fattening at any age, yet attain great weight at maturity; 

 in fact, they will grow and take on fat as long as one has a mind to feed them. 

 They usually weigh from 250 to 300 pounds at ten or twelve months old, and 

 from 500 to GOO pounds at eighteen months old. The question is frequently 

 asked, what makes or constitutes a Poland China hog ; from what were they 

 originally bred? The history of the breed is this : This breed originated in 

 southern Ohio, in Warren and Butler counties, in the year 1837, and became 

 an established breed in 1840; they were produced from four pure and 

 distinct breeds, three of which were imported, namely: Poland, Big China, 

 Big Irish, Grrasies, and Byfield. The Poland China hog is of fine bone but of 



