34 SOUTHERN PORK PRODUCTION 



of calculating is to place the number of hogs on the acre 

 basis, since any system of swine production in the South 

 will largely depend on the growing and grazing of pasture 

 crops. While single acres have been known to produce 

 with one crop upwards of 1,400 pounds of pork, a fair 

 average would be somewhere between 250 and 500 

 pounds, depending on the fertility. If the land is fertile, 

 one could therefore produce annually an average of four 

 head per acre that would average from 100 to 150 pounds 

 per head. If the land is very fertile, it may provide feed 

 for more than this, but the most of the land, especially in 

 the start, will provide feed for a smaller number. 



The boar breeder. — There are a great many breeders of 

 pure-bred swine who make it a business to breed pure- 

 bred boars to supply the needs of farmers and other 

 breeders. Such a breeder is forced to breed animals to 

 meet the demands of the pork market, although he may 

 never send animals to the market. It therefore behooves 

 him to thoroughly inform himself on what the market 

 demands, for the boars he sells must be capable of siring 

 the type the market desires. While fashionable pedigrees 

 are desirable, market type and superior individuality are 

 more desirable, and those breeders who breed on pedigree 

 alone and who ignore the demands of the market and 

 show ring will sooner or later lack buyers for their boars. 

 The necessity of basing all of our swine-breeding opera- 

 tions on the utility basis becomes continually more and 

 more apparent. 



Breeding for pork. — The aim should be to produce only 

 the type most sought after, for, as a general rule, those 

 hogs that bring the higher prices have been most profit- 

 able to their owners. Not only must the selections be 



