224 SOUTHERN PORK PRODUCTION 



are produced in greater quantities this will be one of the 

 first of the serious handicaps to profitable marketing 

 to be corrected. 



Early methods of transportation. — The early method 

 of transportation of live stock in the South was by driv- 

 ing. This method was extensively practiced up to the 

 time of the war and for some time thereafter. In the 

 earlier days this was the only feasible method of trans- 

 portation. Even after the railroads traversed the country 

 the necessary expense prohibited their use in the trans- 

 porting of many droves of swine. Prior to 1850 the 

 transportation of swine by any other method than driv- 

 ing was almost unheard of. Driving routes to market 

 points were generally selected where ample feed could 

 be secured en route. The practice was to drive largely 

 at night during hot weather. Where the distance to mar- 

 ket was far, several days would be required, and by this 

 method they could be taken to market at a considerable 

 profit with little or no shrinkage. The driving of hogs 

 has largely been superseded by hauling with wagons and 

 by railroads, and in the future railway transportation of 

 swine will be of a considerably greater extent than in 

 the past. 



Stockyards. — At several central points in the South 

 there are central markets at which there are stockyards 

 to provide ample handling facilities for hogs. Markets 

 of this kind are located at Augusta, Ga., Baltimore, Md., 

 Oklahoma City, Okla., Ft. Worth, Tex., and at other 

 points. Practically all of these stockyards are controlled 

 by an incorporated company, with the stock held by 

 various interests, generally railroads, packing companies 



