76 SOUTHERN PORK PRODUCTION 



breed most raised in the neighborhood, as it gives an 

 opportunity for co-operation with neighbors, and is apt to 

 result in better prices and greater interest. It is impor- 

 tant to select a breed adapted to the particular farm or 

 neighborhood, with special reference to pasture and feed 

 supply. In the selection of a breed for average southern 

 conditions there are several considerations that can be 

 generally observed. First, white breeds should be 

 avoided to a limited extent at least. Then those breeds 

 that are of the extreme lard or extreme bacon type 

 should be avoided. This means that a black or red breed 

 of a rather intermediate type would be best suited to aver- 

 age southern conditions, and as it happens such is the case. 



The type of hog best suited to southern conditions is a 

 semi-grazer type, such as the type approached by the 

 English Berkshire and some other breeds. All of our 

 present breeds have been developed, for the most part, to 

 consume large quantities of concentrated grains. What 

 is needed is a type adapted to the consumption of large 

 quantities of green forage and crops such as we can easily 

 raise and such as can be harvested by the hogs them- 

 selves. It is a fact that something a little more special- 

 ized than what we now have is needed, but we should 

 adapt one of our present breeds to meet the new condi- 

 tions. We want a hog with a larger stomach than the 

 present types have, a more active hog, and one that is 

 strong in bone and that stands up well on its pasterns, 

 and one that is able to search out a living, even though it 

 may be difficult to find. Some of our native swine 

 possess this latter characteristic to a marked degree, but 

 there are other improvements that our native swine do 

 not possess that we desire. 



