THE SWINE INDUSTRY 187 



this purpose, probably much greater than has 

 usually been accorded them. 



MARKET DEMANDS 



The type of hog most favored in the markets is 

 very different from that demanded 20, 30 or 40 years 

 ago. Then the large hog, with the broad, fat back 

 and sides, was the type demanded. The taste of 

 consumers has greatly changed since then. The 

 popular demand at the present time is for early ma- 

 turing hogs weighing from 200 to 300 pounds each. 

 These hogs furnish a smaller amount of lard and a 

 relatively greater percentage of ham and bacon. 

 The public demand at this time favors light, lean 

 hams and thin, rather lean bacon, and this is pro- 

 duced only by the light, trim-built type of hog. 

 The farmer who would get the largest per cent of 

 profit must know the demands of the market, must 

 cater to that demand and produce what the buyers 

 want. This type of hogs should be brought to 

 maturity and marketed at from eight to ten months 

 old, certainly not more than ten months. 



The unusually high prices realized for fat hogs 

 in the winter of 1909-10 will undoubtedly not be 

 maintained indefinitely. They were induced in a 

 very large degree by the definite shortage of hogs 

 throughout the country. This shortage will be 

 supplied within a year or two, and it is only 

 reasonable to suppose that lower prices will pre- 

 vail. However, it is extremely unlikely that 

 the prices for fat hogs will ever again drop to the 

 low level which they have at times in the past, ex- 

 cept in the case of some unforeseen financial emer- 

 gency, such as occurred in 1907. The demand for 

 meat products is continually increasing in the 



