202 



OUR DOMESTIC ANIMALS 



and all sorts of practices were employed to 

 impart delicate flavor to the flesh. I'liny in- 

 forms us that old, dried fit^s, drenched with 

 honey and wine, were employed as a means of 

 enlarging the lix'er, so choice a dish was it 

 considered by Roman palates. It has been 

 said also that the Romans often served hogs 

 whole, one side being roasted and the other side 

 boiled. Further still was this carried by stuff- 

 ing the dressed animal with larks and nightin- 

 gales and delicacies of all sorts, and serving 

 with wine and rich gravies. We can imagine 

 how delicious this dish must have been by com- 

 ]wring it with those barbecues and Brunswick 

 stews so well known by (jur country people. 



Germany and France have also, from times 

 immemorial, depended upon the pig for food ; 

 while in Ireland, especially among the poorer 

 classes, the pig is often the chief source of 

 profit and the " gintleman that pays the rint." 

 The early pig stock of our country and of the 

 states to the south of us came first by the 

 importations of the early Spanish explorers. 

 The first ships that landed on our shores 

 brought swine ; from this early stock the pig 

 in America has come, its habitat spreading in a 

 short time to the whole land. Since those days 

 of exportation and adventure improved hogs 

 of many breeds have been imported, especially 

 from England, but from other countries as well. 



A IJR(i\i-: OF H()(,s IX Ohio 



and which possess rich and delicate flavors 

 never equaled by other domestic animals. 



We have, on the authority of Varro, the 

 statement that the Gauls raised the largest 

 and finest swine flesh that was brought into 

 Italy du7'ing those early days. This is of 

 interest in connection with the fact that the 

 Italians and ancient Spaniards kept large droves 

 of swine, which formed the j^rincipal ])art of 

 their li\'e stock. In those early days swine were 

 common in Greece and in adjoining islands. 

 While the Jews and the followers of Mohammed 

 have always abstained from swine flesh, nearly 

 all other j^eoples have foimd the pig of con- 

 siderable imi)f)rtance in their food supplies. 

 This is true of the ancient Britons. Good 

 meat was supplied chiefly from the hog. 



II. The Pit, in the Old World 



Throughout the Old W'orld the pig abounds, 

 its highest development being attained by 

 English breeders. At the present time it is 

 almost universally raised, and with some nations 

 is the principal meat supply. 



In almost all parts of Asia swine ma\' be 

 found, — in Siam, Cochin China, Burma, and 

 other southern countries. Here is found the 

 celebrated Chinese hog that has been imported 

 into many other countries, and which is noted 

 for its small size, fine head and snout, compact, 

 deep carcass, large hams and shoulders, fine 

 bone, hair, and skin, and sweet, delicate meat. 



Travelers tell us that the Chinese treat their 

 animals very kindl)'. It is given on the author- 

 ity of one of our prominent men that the pig 



Digitized by IVIicrosoft® 



