1.0 A MANUAL ON THE HOG. 



Thirty-two per cent, report no trouble in this respect. 



Fifteen per cent, of all the hogs in the State are annually 

 stolen, or unaccounted for. 



Thirty-seven per cent, report thieves the principal obsta- 

 cle to hog-raising in their counties, and sixty-three per 

 cent, report neglect, want of food, proper management, 

 and good fences, the principal difficulties in the way of 

 success. 



There is a generally expressed determination to remedy 

 these latter difficulties, by giving better attention, and 

 raising more food for them. 



The statements of the plan of raising hogs, generally 

 agree in giving special prominence to the importance of 

 bestowing close personal attention upon sows and pigs, in 

 order to have healthy offspring, well started off in a vigor- 

 ous, thrifty condition, while young. Many give little more 

 attention than to mark and turn out in the woods, feeding, 

 perhaps, once a day, just enough corn to keep them from 

 growing wild. 



Only thirty- five .per cent, of the correspondents have 

 tested the plan of penning through the year, generally 

 with unsatisfactory resultb, except where only enough are 

 penned to consume the waste from the kitchen, dairy and 

 garden. A few claim that the same amount of food pro- 

 duces better results when fed to hogs kept closely confined, 

 than those running at large. 



Eighty-five per cent, report dark-colored, and, especially, 

 black, hogs, less subject to mange and other skin diseases, 

 than white ones. Twelve per cent, have observed no 

 difference. 



These facts will be further discussed under appropriate 

 heads, in the development of the subject. 



BRIEF HISTORY OF THE HOG. 

 Neither the period at which, nor the people by whom, 

 the^ hog was first used as a domestic animal, is known; 

 but he seems to have been reared for the sake of his flesh 



