CHAPTER IX. 

 WHAT IS A HOG? 



This to the casual observer seems like the question of a 

 simpleton, but nevertheless it has a great deal of mean- 

 ing. For, in order to be able to feed a hog properly, a 

 man should know what kinds of material the hog is made 

 up of, and also the amounts of the various kinds of ma- 

 terial entering into the construction of the body. 



The composition of a hog, or the structure of his body, 

 may be compared to a brick house. Such a house, for in- 

 stance, is composed of brick, mortar and lumber. In or- 

 der to have the house constructed most economically, 

 only enough of the various kinds of material should be 

 delivered to the place where the house is being built so 

 that the entire quantity can be used and nothing left 

 over. If twice as many bricks were hauled to the ground 

 as could be used, the house could still be built and the re- 

 mainder be hauled away and considered waste. If more 

 lumber were bought than necessary, the excess could be 

 used for fuel which would be wasteful. If more mortar 

 were made than could be used to lay the brick, it would 

 soon become hard and be wasted. 



If such a house were to be built, a layman would con- 

 sider it unwise to undertake the task himself. It might be 

 possible for him to build some sort of a structure, but if it 

 were done by trained masons and carpenters, it would be 

 infinitely better. 



(in) 



