SWINE. 3G7 



so often recommended for the same or a neighboring locality ? 

 Or, to be more explicit, has it not often been found true, that 

 of the same litter of pigs some die and some live, and of those 

 that live a part shall do well and the rest shall not ? And 

 what butcher of swine is not familiar with the fact that the 

 post mortem examination often reveals the diseased liver, with 

 its large or small ulcers, or worms in the intestines, requiring a 

 considerable part of the food taken by the animal for their 

 support, or other diseased organs, not easily detected even 

 when the animal is slaughtered, and almost always unsuspected 

 till then ? In short, may not adventitious circumstances have 

 often, most undeservedly, given complexion to our ideas of the 

 value of our breeds of swine ? 



If a distinguished theologian at the commencement of the 

 present century could say, " It is for want of information that 

 we see so many new things," may it not be for the same reason 

 that such an otherwise unaccountable diversity of opinions on 

 the subject of the breeds of our swine continues to prevail and 

 to keep up the confusion ? A good judge of stock it may be, and 

 a known friend to its improvement, has a pure Suffolk hog that 

 does not and will not thrive ; and the same pen may contain an 

 "old-fashioned" hog that does thrive. In this state of things 

 he receives a circular from the Commissioner on Patents con- 

 taining the usual inquiry, "What is the best breed of hogs?" 

 He sits down and writes for answer just about what has devel- 

 oped itself in his own sty. This goes into the annual agricul- 

 tural report of the department, and is thence sent out over the 

 whole country. It is by no means intimated that this is always, 

 or even often, the case ; but when it is, of how much value is the 

 document ? 



The following, from the Agriculture of Massachusetts for 

 1853, compiled by our indefatigable secretary, Mr. Flint, page 

 364, will show how little reliance can be placed upon opinions 

 often formed and expressed upon this subject. The question 

 put to gentlemen in different parts of the country contained in 

 the United States Commissioner's circular was, "What is the 

 best breed of hogs ? " And, says the writer, " New Hampshire 

 answers, 'The Suffolk;' Connecticut, 'A mixture of the old- 

 fashioned hog with the Berkshire and the China breed does very 



