DOMESTIC ANIMALS 289 



Cuba and the other regions where the Royal palm is 

 abundant, its rich, oily fruits or nuts furnish a nutri- 

 cious hog food which is always in season, each tree 

 ripening from nine to twelve large bunches in suc- 

 cession during the year. This is practically the only 

 hog food used in tliese countries, but it might easily 

 be supplemented not only by the crops mentioned 

 above, all of which grow readily in tliese regions, 

 but by sugar cane, the stalks of which are greedily 

 eaten by hogs, and by the very productive cassava 

 and malanga as well. Notwithstanding these obvi- 

 ous advantages for hog raising, every steamer bound 

 southward carries lard, hams, and other hog products 

 as an important part of her cargo. There seems to 

 be no special hog disease at the South. Cholera is 

 sometimes a great scourge, as at the North, but out- 

 breaks can usually be controlled by proper isolation 

 and quarantine. 



Sheep raising is another industry that should re- 

 ceive more attention. Much of the hill lands that 

 are comparatively worthless for other purposes are 

 admirably adapted for sheep, and even the low, sandy 

 savannahs near the Gulf coast, contrary to the ordi- 

 narily accepted belief, make most excellent sheep 

 ranges and support considerable flocks throughout 

 the year without any other food. Besides the an- 

 nual clip of wool the early spring lambs are always 

 in demand at good prices. The worthless dogs that 

 so infest the South are the worst enemies of the 

 sheep raiser but wherever this industry has gained 

 much importance means are readily found for their 



destruction. While the usual sheep diseases occur, 

 u 



