1 36 AGRICULTURE. 



CHAPTER XXIX. 



SWINE. 



NATURE OF SWINE. The wild hog is still found in many 

 parts of the world. Even in Europe there are districts where 

 wild boars are hunted. From the many kinds of wild hogs our 

 domestic breeds have been derived. In the wild condition 

 the animal is very active, and well able to protect itself by its 

 tusks and teeth. The improving of the \vild animal has 

 changed the form, and made an animal that is quite compact 

 and fleshy, and less active. There is less bone in the hog than 

 in sheep or cattle, as one may see from the following statement, 

 which gives the number of pounds of water, fleshy substance, 

 fat, and ash or bony matter in every 100 pounds of a fat ox, a 



fat sheep, and a fat pig : 



Fat Ox. Fat Sheep. Fat Pig. 

 Ib. Ib. Ib. 



Water 48 46 43 



Fleshy matter 15 13 n 



Fat 32 38 44 



Ash (bony part) 5 3 2 



Thus it will be seen that a fat pig has more fat and less bone 

 in proportion to its weight than a fat ox or a fat sheep. 



GROWTH. Although the hog has cloven hoofs, it does not 

 ruminate or chew its cud as do the cow and the sheep. 

 Therefore, we may conclude at once that it does not digest its 

 food in the same way as they do. It has only one stomach. 

 And yet we find that the hog grows in weight more rapidly. 

 How do we explain this ? There are three things to be con- 

 sidered : First, the kind of food which the animal eats ; 

 second, the means which the animal has of digesting its food ; 

 and, third, what the food, after being digested, is used for. 



