THE GREEK PIG. 195 



of hini. I apprehend he would be a little more healthy if 

 allowed to run as the wild boars used to run. The Greeks 

 were great pork raisers and eaters. Eurnceus, the swine-herd 

 of Ulysses, was the most perfect country gentleman recorded 

 in ancient history, and swine constituted the most important 

 portions of the hero's property. But the pigs of those days 

 were healthy animals; they were not penned up, but roamed 

 about, feeding upon vegetable substances. They got their 

 carbon and nitrogen, not only from their food, but from the 

 air. The people of those countries did not have many of the 

 diseases that we have in our day ; and I apprehend if we ate 

 less pig and more mutton and beef, we should be a healthier 

 people, and our children would be better and braver. But, 

 unfortunately, we must use the pig as we use the cow, the 

 sheep and other animals, for the purpose of making manure. 

 But it is a fact, that with all the efforts we can make to get 

 manure in that way, we cannot get enough ; therefore we are 

 continually crying out for more manure. Now it seems to 

 me, that the preparations which are being made for the intro- 

 duction of these phosphates will brii g them within the reach 

 of every farmer in the country, and that tho analyses of Prof. 

 Goessmann and the experiments of Prof. Stockbridge show 

 that they can be beneficially used. You may talk about 

 farmers being scientific men, and analyzing these things, and 

 making their own manures, as much as you please ; they will 

 not do it. The farmer cannot bring these materials together 

 and make his own manure economically, or with any satisfac- 

 tion. Every chemist who has handled them knows that it is 

 a difficult and disagreeable thing to do. You may take these 

 phosphates, and other materials, and bring them on to your 

 farm, but you will not try them more than one season; you 

 will get tired and disgusted, no matter whether it pays or not. 

 Therefore, we are to be indebted to these practical men — to 

 Prof. Stockbridge and the chemist of the Agricultural Col- 

 lege — to get these things into such shape that we farmers can 

 use them. I hope that those of us who are so situated that 

 we can avail ourselves of these fertilizers, at the prices at 

 which they are now being sold, will assist by our experiments 

 in determining the value of these things. Let us, next sea- 

 son, try the effect of this phosphate, which is the cheapest 



