CHAPTER XV. 

 PIG RAISING. 



Asa valued writer puts it : " The hog is an animal whose pro- 

 perties are calculated, in a very remarkable degree, at once to 

 awaken the aversion and (command the consideration of mankind. 

 The former sentiment is necessarily excited by the habits and man- 

 ners displayed by the animal during life ; the latter is the natural 

 result of reflection upon the numerous sources of profit derivable 

 from his carcase after death." From practical experience, however, 

 we at once find the hog a very clean animal in its habits ; which, 

 together with the profits derivable from its carcase after death solely 

 depend on the intelligence of its master. Naturalists tare agreed 

 that all the varieties of the domesticated hog are derived -from one 

 common progenitor; and that in their wild state they are more numer- 

 ous and widely distributed than either cattle or sheep. The fact, 

 however, of their being possessed by many races of men who have 

 neither cattle or sheep, denotes that they have long since been domes- 

 ticated, and are, in common with all animals originally found in tlie 

 service of man, of Eastern origin, having been carried by mankind 

 from the East. to the West. 



The hog is not bred and reared as a domestic pet, nor as an 'orna- 

 ment, but for the money that is in him, and he represents either a 

 profit or a loss to his owner, according to the treatment he receives. 



The domesticated hog is an animal of very great importance from 

 an economical point of view. Like most animals, domestication nas 

 the effect of multiplying varieties considerably. In a wild state the 

 hog forms an interesting study, inasmuch as their pairing or mating 

 is carried out not only on the lines of the survival of the strongest 

 males, but also on the choice of the females ; and one of their natural 

 checks is the male being always anxious to make a meal of the young 

 ones. It therefore should at once become a most important branch 

 of the study of pig raisers, in order to understand the natural ten- 

 dencies of the hog, viz., the habits and customs of the hog in its 

 wild state. " Instinct prevails where science fails" is a very old 

 adage, and one that can never be overlooked throughout animal life. 



The various breeds of hog would require much describing. It is, 

 therefore, not my intention to touch upon breeds other than those 

 in common use among the pig raisers of these States, and slightly, 

 indeed, on those breeds, as justice cannot well be done to the sub- 

 ject of pig raising short of a comprehensive book, which should be 

 written from both a scientific and practical standpoint. 



The Berkshire breed stands first in the list. Many years back the 

 Berkshire had obtained great prominence. But its admirers never 

 paused where they began, nor omitted to follow up with judgment 

 and perseverance the success and advantages they had thus obtained 

 until we find the animal much altered in both color and appearance 

 in the course of a century. According to Laurence, the Berkshire of 

 fifty years ago had attained great size, but was almost invariably a 

 reddish-brown color, with black spots or patches. Since then what 

 is termed the true and improved breed of Berkshire has displaced 

 the old type. The origin of the Berkshire is said to be the result 

 of a cross of the Siamese boar upon the old time Berkshires, a breed 

 common in Berks, Hants, and Wilts, in England. On this point 

 Martin says : " It is not certain that the desirable points for which 

 the improved Berkshires have long been noted, viz., fine-grained, 

 juicy, well-marbled hams and bacon, were first brought out by the 



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