MICHIGAN LIVE STOCK IN 1900. 373 



different breeds and colors, and show a lack of uniformity in other 

 respects, the buyer will not pay top i)rices for them. With good hogs 

 of all the improved breeds available to the farmer at very reasonable 

 prices, and quality and uniformity being such an important factor in the 

 market, it is only good business policy for the farmer to stick close to 

 the breed he prefers, and breed them as closely to type as possible. The 

 most apparent faults to be found with ilichigan hogs, as shown by the 

 criticisms of those who buy on the large markets, are lack of uniformity 

 and finish. They are marketed before they reach the market standard, 

 and show lack of that finish which comes from careful and generous 

 feeding when being fitted for market. The dairy hogs are nearly always 

 marketed before they liave been finished, and have neither the weights 

 nor quality which their breeding would make possible under better man- 

 agement. Then thousands of hogs from this State go to market from 

 the pastures, and under the name of ''grassers" are placed at the bot- 

 tom of the list. Most of these hogs are just in the condition where a 

 few weeks of grain feeding would add greatly to their value to the 

 buyer, whether he is a x>acker or a local butcher. At present values 

 for prime hogs, could the grain grown on the farm be put into market 

 in a way to bring better prices for the grower than in these growthy, 

 half-finished hogs? 



Another fault is that farmers as a rule rely upon young brood sows 

 and males as bre^eding animals, which has a tendency to produce 

 smaller litters and less growthy animals. A prolific brood sow should 

 be kept for several years, and this is also true of the male hogs if we 

 want strong, healthy litters of growing pigs. 



The breeds which are popular at present are the Poland-China, the 

 Berkshire, the Jersey Red, the Chester White and Victoria. Breeding 

 herds of these are quite numerous in the State, and their popularity 

 runs in the order named. Added to these breeds there are also herds 

 of pure bred Tamworths and Large Yorkshires, brought in to give more 

 of what is known as the bacon type to the other breeds. It is yet too 

 early to determine how popular these breeds will become, as so far 

 they are nearly entirely in the hands of breeders, and have not therefore 

 been tested by the general farmer. Their ability to produce pork 

 <heaply and of high quality will determine their future. The Canadian, 

 English and Danish farmers have found these hogs profitable because 

 of the higher prices secured for their bacon as compared with the other 

 breeds. Whether this advantage will continue when such hogs are 

 produced by the thousands is a ])roblem which can only be settled by 

 actual tests. Their admirers claim the market for such bacon is prac- 

 tically unlimited, while others assert it is a limited one, confined to 

 the wealthy and i>rofessional classes in the large cities of this country 

 and Great Britain, while the working classes prefer a thicker and fatter 

 bacon than the Tamworth and Large Yorkshire generally produces at a 

 marketable age. There is probably some truth in the contention of 

 each, and we believe that some farmers will find them profitable and 

 others unjirofitable, according to their markets. They will, therefore. 

 be considered special breads, bred and fed for a special ])urpose, and 

 will not, therefore, displace other breeds only to a limited extent. The 

 incorporation of their blood to some ext<'nt in the hogs of the corn-belt 



