HOGS AND PORK PACKING. 201 



Another gentleman in Iowa says : The Chester Whites are his favorites, as 

 they are pure white in color, have good coats of hair to stand our northern 

 climate ; and they will fatten at any age, are very quiet, not inclined to roam, 

 and will fatten well in good clover pasture. They are great eaters, but grow 

 rapidly. Half breeds of this class of hogs weigh well ; three killed at tlie age 

 of thirteen months weighed respectively, net, 425, 415, and 348 pounds. 



BERKSHIRES. 



One of our best hog-raiscrs in Sangamon county, in giving his preferences 



for the Berkshire hog, says : 



" Their flesh is better than the flesh of any other breed of hogs I have ever eaten ; it is finer 

 grained, tender and juicy, and when regularly fed is fit for market, or to kill and eat, at any 

 time from four to eighteen montiis of age. The brood-sows are good nurses, and produce 

 generally from eight to ten pigs at a litter. They are very hardy, and less liable to disease 

 than any other breed of hogs ; and I have no doubt, from my experience in feeding and fat 

 tening, they will make more pounds of pork on a given quantity of food than any other 

 breed of hogs. The late J. C. Crowder said that he had no doubt that any sow, even the 

 veriest scrub, bred to a Berkshire boar, would produce pigs worth two dollars a head more 

 than any other stock. My own opinion is, they are worth at least one dollar a head more." 



This is the testimony of but one or two ; but they might be multiplied, 

 giving this breed the preference ; but we think, as before remarked, it is more 

 confined to the central district of the State. The color (being black) is, with 

 many, an objection — wp imagine mostly of fancy. 



SUFFOLKS. 



There might be pages of testimony given in favor of Suffolks. Certain it is 

 that when well kept and carefully cared for they produce pork which brings 

 the best of prices in this market, and many choice lots are selected each year 

 for the eastern markets, where they bring the highest price. We think it no 

 exaggeration to say that we believe three-fourths of the hogs of northern 

 Illinois have strains of Suffolk blood, and to their introduction may be 

 attributed much of the improvement observable in years past. It is not un- 

 common to meet with lots averaging 400 pounds in weight, at eighteen months 

 old ; and when well cared for, and not kept too fat while young, very readily 

 reach 300 pounds. 



The pork of the Suffolk will almost always make " prime mess." 

 A gentleman in Will county, who raises and feeds a large number of hogs 

 for the New York market, prefers the Berkshire crossed with the Irish Grazier, 

 which latter in their native state are of about a rail's length, and require 

 three or four years to come to maturity. By this cross he obtains a very 

 uniform hog, which, at eighteen months' old, will average four hundred pounds, 

 gross. His practice is not to wean spring pigs until September, and while at 

 pasture feeds a small amount of corn daily during the whole season. 



HOG RAISING. 



But few of our largest feeders raise their own stock, preferring to pick them 

 np as they can buy them, at weights ranging from one hundred to one hundred 

 and fifty pounds, when they can do it at low rates, often buying in the.Chicago 

 market, and taking back into the country to feed. 



The practice of the most succaesful breeders is to arrange to have the pigs 

 dropped in March or early in April. It is a usual custom with many to arrange 

 the pens for breeding of convenient size for two sows, placing them together, 

 with bul little bedding, keeping all clean and well ventilated ; giving the sows 

 generous and regular feed, especially after the pigs have been dropped ; keep- 

 ing them together until about three to four months old, when the pigs are 

 weaned, they having already learned to eat well aside from their mothers. 

 The practice of some is not to wean at so early an age. 



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