REPORT ON SWINE. 



It is no part of the work of j^our Committee in this report to recite 

 the history of the hog or to trace step b}' step the work of domestica- 

 tion and breeding by which this animal has undergone such wonderful 

 changes as scarcely to be recognized as having descended from the wild 

 boar, but simply present such hints and suggestions in their care and 

 management as it is hoped may be of some special benefit to those 

 for whom it was written. How the farmers of New England shall 

 manage their hogs so as to derive the largest amount of profit, and 

 thus, perhaps, be able to successfull}- compete with the Western 

 farmers in supplying our own markets with pork, is a question that 

 interests no small proportion of our farmers at the present time. 



The farmers of 50 or 75 years ago, in certain jjortions of this state 

 at least, looked upon the keeping and fattening of hogs as one of the 

 most important and valuable means of disposing of their grain and 

 adding to the profits of their farming. While liberal quantities of pork 

 were cured for home use, a large amount was annually transported by 

 teams to Boston, and there either exchanged for cash or the 3'early sup- 

 ply of groceries. Now this to a great extent is changed. By means of 

 the railroads our farmers are brought into direct competition with the 

 great grain growing sections and interests of the West. The increased 

 attention bestowed on the improvement of their breed of hogs and the 

 rapid strides which' have taken place in the business as the outgrowth 

 of these improvements, and the problem which the Western farmer 

 has solved in sending their cheap grain to our Eastern market in 

 the shape of pork (or as one writer states it, ' ' of sending 30 bushels 



