CHAPTER TWENTY. 



ADVANTAGES OF SHOWING. 



For the breeder of pure bred hogs who wishes to estab- 

 lish a substantial trade, it is very necessary that, as soon as 

 he becomes well versed and properly started in his breeding 

 line, he should make it a practice each year to fit a show 

 herd. Possibly at first it is as well for him to prepare only 

 for County Shows, until he thoroughly learns what is re- 

 quired to win at the big Shows and Expositions. There is 

 no way, in my opinion, in which a young breeder can so 

 quickly get before the people and started to selling his hogs 

 for breeders as to annually fit enough animals to fill the 

 classes usually provided for in the various premium lists. 



The reason I suggest that the beginner commence his 

 show career at the County Fairs, is from the fact that I 

 passed through all these little troubles when I was a great 

 many years younger than I am now and know what the dif- 

 ficulties are for a beginner. It is hardly expected that a 

 young breeder who has never followed the practice of show- 

 ing, and who has probably not spent a very large amount 

 of money in the foundation of his herd, can win at State 

 Fairs and Expositions where only a few great show animals 

 can get in the money. Let the County Fairs be the stepping 

 stones to larger ones where it requires, practically speak- 

 ing, the P. T. Barnums of the business to win. 



Never will I forget the time way back in the 70 's when I 

 made my first show at a State Fair. It was at the Elinois 

 State Fair when it went around on wheels, and that year 

 was located at Freeport. I had only been in the business 

 a year; knew nothing of what it required to even have a 

 chance of getting into the money; but nevertheless I was 

 full of enthusiasm and overflowing with ignorance. I fitted 

 up a portion of a herd which I thought was "some pigs" 



