222 INDIANA HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS 



prejudiced he may be, can look upon the beautiful Berk- 

 shire, without acknowledging that he is a superior animal 

 to the long-nosed landpikes of our country. 



I feel it to be my duty to urge the fact strongly to your 

 notice here, that I am convinced that this is the first kind 

 of stock that we should attempt to improve. Our country 

 is new and mostly unprovided with comfortable shelters, 

 and suitable keeping for an improved breed of cattle. 

 And our pecuniary means are not generally sufficient to 

 enable us to walk before we creep. But there is no 

 farmer in the bounds of your Society, too poor to pro- 

 vide himself with a pair of pigs. And all have the means 

 of comfortable keeping. And no one would hesitate one 

 moment after he had become acquainted with the im- 

 provement. And the only way of making them ac- 

 quainted, is for those that are already convinced, to take 

 early measures to introduce them to the notice of their 

 doubting neighbors. You may talk to a man until you 

 are hoarse and he is deaf, or you may read to him until 

 you are blind, about the good qualities of improved cattle 

 and hogs, and, I know by experience, that it will not all 

 have so much effect upon him as one view. 



Since I have provided myself with Berkshire hogs, I 

 have an easy argument, "Look for yourself." And none 

 look and doubt. All are converted to the belief at once, 

 that a Berkshire hog is no humbug. There are many 

 other good varieties, that are a decided improvement 

 upon the common kind. But all I wish to point out at 

 present, is, that our stock of hogs can be improved 

 easier than any other kind of stock while our country is 

 so new as it is at present. 



There are some too proud or obstinate, but few who are 

 too wise to learn. And if you learn no other fact from 

 me this day, I beg you to remember, that such meetings 

 as this are well calculated not only to add to your general 

 information, but to improve the morals of community. 

 If then you had no other object in view, how important 

 is it that you continue thus to persevere in well-doing. 



