212 SOUTHERN PORK PRODUCTION 



farm for pork production. Among the local conditions 

 influencing the cost of production we have as the most 

 important the rate and cost of gains, the cost of main- 

 taining a breeding herd, and the degree to which the hogs 

 are grown or fattened before marketing. Under the first 

 of these local conditions we might include the cost of 

 feed, the cost of labor, the kinds of feed and the value 

 of the manures produced. Under the last heading, the 

 degree of condition and growth, we might include the 

 breeding, which involves type and quality. 



The lard type of hog. — The predominating type on the 

 markets of the entire country is the American or lard 

 type of hog, which has been developed largely as the 

 type best suited to Corn Belt conditions. The type has 

 been to a large extent adopted in its entirety by the 

 South, although we are best equipped for the production 

 of an intermediate type between the fat or lard hog and 

 the bacon type, with the ideal approaching the lard type 

 rather than the bacon hog. The hogs from the southern 

 farms do not average as fat as the hogs from the Corn 

 Belt, and the indications are that the hogs coming from 

 southern farms will never average as fat as hogs coming 

 from the Corn Belt farms. This will come about nat- 

 urally from a more extensive use of grazing crops, the 

 greater economy of production of lean over fat, and as 

 a result of climatic conditions. 



Bacon types for special markets. — In pork-packing 

 establishments the carcasses are examined by experts, 

 who determine which carcasses will make good breakfast 

 bacon. Only a few are found that will make first-class 

 bacon. It often happens that a hog of one of the lard 



