THIRD ANNUAL YEAE BOOK — PART VI. 407 



My own experience is that it pays better to advertise judiciously in 

 some good clean agricultural papers, and I know of no better medium 

 than The Gazette, which I find cieanand straight in every particular. I 

 have thought for some time that it would be the very best thing for 

 swine breeders if all the state fairs would cease offering premiums for 

 hogs, because every year they do more harm than good. The fairs are 

 the means of spreading disease in all directions. Nearly every herd that 

 was represented at one of the last very great shows went home in baa 

 shape. It was kept very quiet, but nevertheless it is a fact. 



I have passed the seventy-second milestone and would advise all 

 young, middle- aged and old men to go to the state fairs; it is a good 

 school if you keep your eyes open. You meet your friends, neighbors 

 and loved ones whom probably you have not seen for some time. Keep 

 sweet, be cheerful, and the fair may be a blessing to you. 



Geo. S. Prine: It will pay to show pure-bred hogs, as there are 

 many features connected with the business that can be accomplished in 

 this way that would take years to reach otherwise. The wide acquaint- 

 ance gained in so short a time with the practical experience in the select- 

 ing, fitting and the management of the show herd will be of great value 

 to the beginner, and with a good herd carefully fitted and properly man- 

 aged it will pay a liberal dividend on the capital invested, besides giving 

 to the new man an advertisement that will be another profitable feature 

 not to be overlooked. 



To the young man I would say: "Go out and invest your money 

 with skill in the accumulating of a herd, and lay your plans to exhibit at 

 the best fairs and gain will result that will be of value to you and your 

 business." 



F. F. Failor: All would depend on the skill of the beginner as to his 

 ability to breed and feed and bring out a show herd good enough to win 

 in competition with breeders who have followed the business through 

 years of experience, having met and overcome many disappointments. 

 Not one man in a thousand could commence as a novice and win a rib- 

 bon at the first attempt, as the breeding and feeding of swine for show 

 is as much of a trade as any scientific calling. My advice to a beginner 

 would be to make an effort to get such animals of the breed he has as 

 are in what he thinks prime show condition, and if possible take them to 

 his own county fair, comparing them there with others of the same 

 breed. If he meets with sufficient encouragement to justify him in tak- 

 ing them to the state fair by all means do so. This will be the best 

 object lesson he can get at a reasonable cost, giving the novice a still 

 better opportunity for comparison and doubtless point out to him his 

 former mistakes. 



The question is asked: "Does it pay to show?" Yes, it pays and it 

 pays well if you have the winners or some of them. You will soon learn 

 that there are others who know how to breed and feed hogs as well as 



