30 SOUTHERN PORK PRODUCTION 



provement in numbers and quality of swine. For many 

 years past, of course, the cotton industry lias predomi- 

 nated, but it is rapidly becoming recognized that a 

 system of live stock farming is essential to a permanent 

 system of cotton production, and that the total cotton 

 production can be greatly increased by the proper intro- 

 duction of a system of swine husbandry. 



Proportion of pure-bred swine. — In the southern states 

 there are approximately 20,000,000 head of hogs. Of 

 these there are much less than 20,000 pure bred and 

 registered that are used in improving and increasing the 

 quality and quantity of hogs. In other words, there is 

 less than one pure-bred and registered hog in the South 

 to exert its influence in the improvement of every 1,000 

 head of grade and scrubs. These figures readily show 

 the present status of the pure-bred swine breeding in- 

 dustry in the South, and they bring out sharply the great 

 possibilities for improvement. Especially do these figures 

 show that the possibilities of pure-bred swine business in 

 the South are based on sound principles, and that it is 

 merely in its infancy in many respects. 



The lack of improved breeding. — While the present 

 condition of our swine-breeding industry in the South is 

 far from what it should be, it is nevertheless hopeful. In 

 order to correct and perfect conditions we must fully 

 appreciate the present status of the industry. In the first 

 place, there has been a general lack of infusion of good 

 blood. In the second place, what pure blood has been 

 used has been indiscriminatingly mixed with other blood 

 and has not been conserved. Thirdly, grade and scrub 

 boars have been indiscriminately and promiscuously 

 used. And, fourth, inferior pedigreed boars have been 



