688 SWINE 



and the animal enters the fat stage, there is a natural tendency 

 to become sluggish and sleep a great deal. This results in lack 

 of vigor and strength afoot. To avoid this, persons who fit hogs 

 for. the show ring compel the animals to exercise to a certain 

 extent each day for some time prior to and during the show 

 season. Some breeds, however, notably those of the bacon type, 

 being of a more active temperament do not require special exercise. 

 The color of the pig is usually regarded as of secondary impor- 

 tance, excepting as an evidence of purity of breeding or trueness 

 to type. The color with some breeds, as the Chester White, 

 Jersey Red, Large Black, and Large White, is made apparent to 

 the uninitiated by the name. In recent years color has become 

 more and more a fad, so that breeders are not satisfied with 

 irregularities in this respect. Color also 'has its relationship to 

 climatic conditions. In warm, moist climates, white is an unpopu- 

 lar color for swine, associated as it often is with scurviness or sun 

 scald. For that reason black or red pigs receive the preference 

 under such climatic conditions. In the tropics the dark skin 

 absorbs heat from the air more rapidly than does the white. 

 The heat also radiates more quickly from the dark skin than the 

 white, during which process a black animal cools off sooner than 

 a white one. 



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