168 Cattle Problems. 



left to them. The fat-forming tendency has increased till 

 they are only lumps of lard. 



The appearance of their dished faces and pug noses in 

 many of these pseudo-improved hogs, indicates a reduced 

 size of breathing-tubes through the face bones, with a re- 

 duced lung power and extent of breathing. And the size 

 of their legs is so diminutive as to be out of all due pro- 

 portion to their body-size and great weight ; the weight of 

 the hogs, in some districts, ranging from 300 to 500, or 

 600 pounds each. And their very small leg-bones have 

 about such a proportion to their great size, as the legs of a 

 Shetland pony would bear to the body of a Norman horse. 



The custom of restricting the exercise of swine was first 

 carried out in England, where they are short of room, be- 

 ing copied in America. In our Eastern and Middle States, 

 where there certainly is no scarcity of space for exercise, 

 the custom of English pig-breeders, in keeping their hogs 

 in close quarters, was considerably intensified. America 

 being largely a corn-producing country, the tendency of 

 corn feed was to increase the proportion of fat, particularly 

 in hogs, and in cattle that are much restricted in the ex- 

 tent of their natural activity. Greatly reduced activity, by 

 increasing the proportion of fat in all breeds and ages of 

 hogs, particularly in the leading corn regions of the wide 

 West, causes a corresponding reduction of the muscle. And 

 this tendency has been augmented so enormously, that in 

 many places in the West, some hogs are met with that are 

 so over-loaded with fat, and so small and weak in their 

 muscles, that they are barely able to walk. Their blood 

 being loaded and thickened with carbon, millions of over- 

 fat hogs have become so weak in their bones and muscles 

 that walking is evidently very painful, or almost imprac- 

 ticable ; and being disinclined to walking exercise, the 

 hogs, as a general rule, lie down and huddle together in 

 throngs of scores to hundreds, during three-fourths or more 



