CHAPTER IT. 



The Breeder and Breeding 



The hog is more of an individual than a machine, and 

 his breeder should treat him as such. Methods which 

 , may be accepted as established have been worked out in 

 .'•.wine breeding-, but adherence to all of them cannot, for 

 many practical reasons, be rigid. The breeder himself, 

 his breeding stock, environment, feed res6urces, climate 

 and other factors are so largely involved that one man's 

 success may spell another man's failure. A common- 

 sense type of hog in the hands of a common-sense 

 breeder constitutes a combination best calculated foi 

 satisfaction and profit during a succession of years. 



Live stock husbandry represents a high type of con- 

 structive effort, and swine breeding offers as much satis- 

 faction and gain as any other branch. It may profitably 

 engage the attention of the man who raises hogs merely 

 from financial motives, but a breeder who attains a fore- 

 most place in his calling has an interest in his business 

 not inspired solely by rewards in money. The compen- 

 sations of swine raising are ample for the man who 

 desires to make his work a profession, as hundreds who 

 have a just pride in tlieir achievements can testify. 



Intelligence used in his breeding and care has raised 

 the hog from the plane of the veriest savage, unsought 

 excej)t wlien lumted like any otlier wild beast, to that of 



13 



