CHAPTER III. 



JUDGING SWINE OF FAT OR LARD TYPE. 



The Fat Hog. The fat hog is the product of the corn 

 belt of the United States. Cheap corn enables the feeder to 

 produce his ho^s more cheaply than can the Canadian feeder, 

 and the American packer devotes his energies towards sup- 

 plying those markets which demand something cheaper than 

 the fancy bacon which comes from the so-called bacon hog. 

 It will not require much study to convince any intelligent 

 person that it is wise for the Canadian farmer to keep out of 

 the fat hog business, and thus avoid, as far as possible, com- 

 petition with the American farmer, who has cheaper feed at 

 his disposal. Unlike the bacon hog, the most valuable parts 

 of the fat hog are the hams, back, and shoulders. Length 

 of side is of minor importance, and hence we find the fat hog 

 comparative!}' short in the body, but very broad and deep, 

 with heavy hams and shoulders and the heavy neck and jowl 

 which characterize this type of hog. 



The American market hogs are divided into a large num- 

 ber of classes with an extremely wide variation in weights. 

 On the average, hogs weighing from 200 to 300 pounds are 

 in greatest demand, though sometimes much heavier hogs 

 command the highest price, depending upon how the supply 

 of a given class happens to meet the demand for that class. 



Demand for Leaner Meat. Though the fat type of hog 

 dominates the American market, there is a growing demand 

 in the United States for something approaching the quality 

 of Canadian bacon, and at the present time strong efforts 

 are being made by some packing houses to encourage farm- 



