34 A MANUAL ON THE HOG. 



those countries from which the small, early maturing 

 breeds originated, and in which they were found in their 

 wild state. 



We are exempt from the extremes ot heat and cold, 

 which are so trying to animal health, the range of mean 

 temperature between the northern and southern limits of 

 th State being only 16. The productions of he State 

 are as well suited to the sustenance of the hog, as the cli- 

 mate is congenial to his heakh and comfort. The average 

 of the monthly rainfall, for the four most important months 

 for the growth of crops, May, June, July and August, 

 for five years, from 1871 to 1875 inclusive, was 4.73 

 inches per year ; the average monthly fall for these four 

 months, during the ,jfive years, ranging from 3.42 inches, 

 the lowest to 6.35, inches, the highest. It will t h be 

 seen that there is sufficient moisture, during the most im- 

 portant seasons, for the growth of crops, to insure a sup- 

 ply of food for man and beast. 



In much the larger portion of the State the ground sel- 

 dom freezes, and when it does, it extends only an inch or 

 two in depth, and rarely continues so during the day. The 

 hog is furnished by the Creator with a snout formed for the 

 purpose of turning up the soil, in search of his food, buth 

 animal and vegetable. There are few days in the year 

 when the ground is not in a condition to be penetrated by 

 tnis snout, in search of food. 



The great facility with which the edible roots, and tu- 

 bers, especially the sweet potato, and the various ground 

 nuts, such as ground-peas, goobers, and chufas, grow in 

 in our genial climate, and pliable soil, enables the farmer 

 to supply his hogs with an abundance of wholesome and nu- 

 tritious food, during the fall and winter months, without even 

 the expense of gathering the crops, the hog supplying the 

 labor for gathering, and the ground the storehouse for pre- 

 serving the crop for his use. Again, our winters are so mild 

 that the rye, or barley, sown early in the fall, furnish, dur- 

 ing the winter months, the green food so necessary for 



