CHAPTER XXXIII 

 FARM ANIMALS: IV. SWINE 



Swine. — Our domestic swine have been developed from 

 the wild hogs of Europe and Asia. There are two species of 

 these, but they are not far different. Wild hogs have been 

 known since the beginning of history. Hunting the wild 

 boar is one of the oldest of sports and is still continued in 

 Europe. A kind of wild pig called the peccary is found in 

 America, ranging from Arkansas, Texas, and Mexico to Pata- 

 gonia. The change from the wild state to a domestic one 

 has made a great change in swine. The wild hog requires 

 three or four years to become fully grown, while the tame 

 hog is fully developed in half the time. The wild hog never 

 became very fat, but our present-day pigs may become exces- 

 sively fat at an early age. Our domestic pigs are slow in 

 action and rarely ferocious, while the wild hog is quick, 

 active, and very fierce. 



The various breeds of hogs have been classified in three 

 ways: (1) red, white, and black breeds; (2) large, medium, 

 and small breeds; (3) lard and bacon breeds. We shall use 

 the latter classification. The lard or fat type of hog has short 

 legs, compact, blocky body, with short sides, quite wide on 

 the back, short neck, small head, large hams and shoulders. 

 There is much fat formed under the skin and around the 

 kidneys. The large layer of fat formed around the kidneys is 

 called leaf lard and is the best in quality. The short sides are 



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