CHAPTER XXX. 

 MARKETS AND SWINE PRODUCTS. 



THE hog market of the United States is extremely com- 

 plicated, local conditions and demands rendering it difficult to 

 present the subject in anything like a clear and concise form. 

 The subject is one of such great importance, however, that an 

 attempt should be made to explain some of its principal 

 features. 



Grades of Hogs. In the smaller packing-houses east of 

 Chicago, the hogs are not so finely graded nor so systematically 

 cut into standard cuts as they are in the great markets of 

 Chicago, St. Louis, Kansas City, St. Joseph, and Omaha. The 

 method of grading live hogs in the large markets does not 

 materially differ, and the Chicago market may be regarded as 

 typical of the American hog and provision trade. If we read 

 Chicago market reports, we find the following classification 

 of live hogs : 



Choice to prime heavy. (Fig. 62.) 



Medium to good heavy. 



Butcher weights. 



Good to prime mixed. 



Eough heavy packing. 



Poor to prime pigs. 



Straight to heavy packing. 



Selected bacons. 



Stags. 



Boars. 



" Prime " refers to the degree of finish and maturity evinced 

 by the hog. To grade as prime, a hog must be highly finished 

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