SEVENTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK-PART VI. 241 



SHOWING BARROWS AT THE INTERNATIONAL. 



JAMES ATIvIXSON, EDITOR THE HOMESTEAD, DES MOINES, lA. 



In looking into this subject I thought I could not do better than to 

 make some inquiry among those who have had actual experience in exhib- 

 iting at the International Barrow Show. A Poland breeder who showed 

 nine head last year states that although he won practically everything 

 he competed for, yet the advertising value of his winnings was not, in his 

 opinion, worth 10 per cent of what it would have been on breeding stock. 

 He states that he is fitting nine head this year for the show, and also adds 

 that he would not bother with them if he were not handy to Chicago, anti 

 if he did not feel reasonably sure that he would win enough to pay 

 expenses. This exhibitor desires the reinstatement of the breeding classes,, 

 and states that no reputable breeder will ever come out with anything but 

 second grade barrows at best, as nothing but seconds will ever be unsexed. 

 This breeder is not sanguine over the possibilities of the barrow show, 

 but believes that the number of entries will decrease and finally dwindle 

 out altogether. 



Another breeder expresses the diametrically opposite view to the one 

 just quoted. Among other things he says: 



"The International comes at a time when it would be a heavy damage 

 to a herd of breeding hogs to put them in show condition, and, therefore, 

 I think that those whose business it is to sell the breeding stock can well 

 afford to take part in this show, because it brings out the hog in his 

 finished state. The pork barrel is the thing that breeders should keep in 

 view all the time, and a good barrow show held in connection with the 

 International should demonstrate to the breeder what he should aim for. 

 In my opinion breeders will not hesitate to unsex their best hogs for this 

 show. I have found that the advertising I received at the International 

 on account of showing barrows has done me more good as a breeder than 

 showing at ten State fairs. In spite of the clamor for the breeding 

 classes, I do not believe they will ever again be found at the International, 

 as the danger of spreading disease is go great that our best breeders will 

 never again be exhibitors. We must therefore settle down to the idea of 

 having a barrow show or cut the hogs out altogether." 



These men express the views of the two classes of swine breeders, and 

 I take it for granted that this audience would take sides on the question 

 much in the same way. The record associations up to date have not 

 expressed a very strong desire to support the barrow show, and not until 

 each breed is backed up by its association will this show ever become a 

 pronounced success. The secretary of one of the large record associations 

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