REARING AND FEEDING OF ANIMALS. 





391 



Like the horse, the ox, and the sheep, the hog is affected in his character, 

 size, and form by the physical state of the countries in which he is naturalized. 

 But he is more the creature of artificial feeding than the sheep, the ox, or the 

 horse; and hence his size is not so much dependent on the nature of the conn- 

 try in which he is reared. To the variations produced on him by external 

 causes, we apply, as in the case of other animals, the term breeds. , 



Among the various articles of live-stock, few are more pro- 

 fitable to the breeder than swine, while the number kept on a 

 farm is proportioned to the quantity of offal on the premises; 

 especially as the attendance they require is, when compared 

 with that of others, very trifling, and the benefit arising from 

 their dung more than counterbalances such attendance. The 

 characteristic marks of a good hog are, a moderate length, 

 as to the carcass in general; the head and cheeks being plump 

 and full, and the neck thick and short; bone fine; quarters 

 full; the carcass thick and full; his bristly hide fine and thin; 

 the symmetry or proportion of the whole well adapted to the 

 respective breeds or varieties; and above all, a kindly disposi- 

 tion to fatten early. 



In consequence of the numerous sorts and varieties of these 

 animals, found in almost every country, it is scarcely possible 

 to ascertain which are the original breeds; under this head, 

 therefore, but little more can be attempted than a brief notice 

 of those most generally esteemed, and known under the fol- 

 lowing denominations: 



THE CHINESE HOG. 



The CHINESE BREED, of the general appearance of which, the above is a 

 tolerably correct delineation, when fat, were originally obtained, as their name 

 imports, from China. Of these there are two nearly distinct kinds: the white 

 and the black: both are small; and although of an extraordinary disposition to 

 fatten, will seldom arrive to a greater weight than two to two hundred and 

 fifty pounds, at two years of age. The former are better shaped than the lat- 

 ter: but they are less hardy and -less prolific.* 



The Chinese hog is of the widely extended Siamese breed of the east, a race 

 which extends from the Continent to the islands of Sumatra, New Guinea, and 



* Complete Grazier. 



