No. 4.] FARMERS' NATIONAL CONGRESS. 345 



The number exported in 1900 was 51,180, valued, with 

 other hog products, at $112,861,490. Fifty per cent of the 

 number of swine are annually slaughtered in the United 

 States. Hogs, sheep and horned cattle produce the bulk 

 of all animal food consumed in our country. Swine's flesh, 

 so extensively used as food by Christians, Chinese, Japanese, 

 South Sea Islanders and others, is not eaten by Hebrews, 

 Mohammedans and Hindoos, it being considered by them 

 unclean. 



Horses. 



The horse, though not to any extent a food animal, is the 

 most useful- of all animals to man as a servant upon the 

 farm ; in peace and in war he is the indispensable, intel- 

 ligent friend of man and bearer of his burdens. He who 

 does not admire and love that noble animal must be lacking 

 in those noble qualities — appreciation of worth, love of 

 family ties, kindred, country and home — which raise man 

 above the level of the lower brutes. 



The horse, according to an ancient fable, was created by 

 Neptune as an animal most useful to man and of the greatest 

 value to him and to his race. History does not record his 

 original native country, but does state that he was brought 

 under subjection to man in central Asia and in northern 

 Africa, adjacent to Numidia, and Abyssinia. He was not 

 native to this hemisphere at the time of its discovery, 

 although fossil evidence is found that in geologic and 

 prehistoric time he was an inhabitant. He was imported 

 by early discoverers and settlers from over sea, and in 

 time his progeny spread over the pampas of South America 

 and the plains of Mexico, Texas and the pastures of the 

 north. 



Great care and pains have been taken to improve the 

 breed, until to-day no country produces better or more 

 valuable horses than the United States. Notwithstanding 

 steam machinery in town and country, and steam railways, 

 electric railways and automobiles which have taken the 

 place of horses, they are still in demand and of value, and 

 will doubtless continue an important adjunct of agricultural 

 interests. Large sums have been invested in them, the 



