372 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



and is only purchased bfcansc of ils clicaimcss, or for tlio reason that a 

 bettor (juality is not obtainable, would send tlieir niili< jtroduct to a 

 creamery, cheese factory or conch'nsary, where it would be utilized in 

 turning,' out luodtnts of such a (juality as to command a };ood market^ 

 it would have the hapj)iest ell'ect uj)on the dairy interests of this State, 

 and add very materially to the rejnitation of its dairy ju-oducts as well 

 as to the income of those who are now selling; their butter at such low 

 prices as to make the business uni)rotitabi(^ to themselves, and an 

 injury to everyone else en<;a<ied in the business. 



The etlect of dairying uj»on the farms where it is made an important 

 branch of the business, renders its maintenance and development an 

 absolute essential on the older lands of the State. Tliere is no product 

 that takes so little from the soil compared with its value as a pound of 

 butter. The fertility sold with it is so infinitesimal as not to be appre- 

 ciable; hence dairying must be regarded as one of the very best means 

 of restoring fertility to worn out soils while returning a fair and in- 

 creasing income to their ownens. Dairying conducted in accordance 

 with sound business princi])les offers to the enterprising farmer as 

 many advantages as any branch of agriculture that can be named, 

 because the income it brings is secured without loss to his land, which 

 will steadily improve in its ability to produce crops. 



HOGS. 



While Michigan has never had the reputation as a producer of hogs 

 that several of the states in the corn-belt have secured, the raising of 

 hogs has been an important part of the business of its farmers since 

 its admission into the Union. It is true the business has not b'^en fol- 

 low'ed to the extreme limits that it has been in the states south and west 

 of it, but it has generally proved remunerative to those engaged in it. 

 The rule in this State has been to make the raising of hogs an important 

 branch of the business of the farm, but to combine it with other 

 branches which would aid or be aided by it. Thus the dairy farm, the 

 fruit farm and the grain farm nearly always has its herd of hogs, which 

 utilize to good advantage the waste and by-products which w^ould other- 

 wise be Unproductive of revenue, and in fact become a nuisance. The 

 hog utilizes these, turns them into a stajjle product, and carries them 

 to market in a form which always commands ready cash, and for which 

 there is a steady and increasing demand. 



The condition of the industry in this State at present is very satis- 

 factory to those engaged in it. Prices during the past year have been 

 maintained at a high average, and wiiile there have been losses from 

 disease, the general outcome has been satisfactory. The tendency at 

 present is to increase the numbers kept on the farms, as well as to 

 improve their quality. As a rule the breeding of the hogs on the farms 

 is better on the average than that of any other class of stock. Several 

 improved breeds have been widely introduced, and there is hardly a farm 

 on which the hogs do not show a more or less infusion of improved 

 blood. There is a disposition, however, to change from one breed to 

 another, which has done much to injure the sale of Michigan hogs, 

 by breaking up that uniformity in appearance that is always a strong 

 factor in securing good prices. Color has little to do with values if 

 the lot are all of one color; but if they are the products of boars of 



