THE PIG 



207 



Our best hog raisers give tlieir animals the 

 full freedom of the fields as much as is pos- 

 sible, that they may obtain the grasses they 

 like, the exercise they need, and the cleanli- 

 ness that means so much for health and vigor. 

 We must remember that the prevention of 

 disease is safer than remedies, and especially 

 is this true of the hog. Clean pens, exercise, 

 pasture grazing, and variety in fc^od are all- 

 important in successful management. 



The hog, if we regard the great number of 

 people who receive food from its flesh, occu- 

 pies, it is seen, a most important jslace in the 

 domestic economy of all civilized countries. 

 Swine flesh is wholesome and nutritive, and 

 from its ready reception of salt it is better 

 fitted for preservation than that of any other 

 animal. It is fitted, therefore, for sea voyages, 

 for use in country districts where fresh meats 



are not at all times available, and for all uses 

 where meat is desired but obtainable only many 

 seasons after being slaughtered ; for these, 

 and many other purposes, this kind of meat is 

 eminently adapted. 



It forms not only a large portion of the 

 animal food consumed by inhabitants of other 

 continents but also enters largely into our own 

 dietaries ; and from the facility with which it 

 may be raised by the himible \ilkiger or 

 laborer as well as by the breeder on a larger 

 scale, it has been aptly styled the poor man's 

 stock. Beyond any other animal the hog mul- 

 tiplies with great rapidity ; he is reared with 

 ease, and with little expense he is biought to 

 maturity, so that it seems an error for any 

 farmer to disregard this domestic animal, which 

 is and always will be a source of household 

 economy and comfort. 



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