4 



farmers' BULLETIN 7G5. 



The bacon breeds of hogs are not raised in very large numbers in 

 the United States. Where corn is not relied upon as the principal 

 grain for hogs, the production of choice bacon is more general than 

 in the corn belt, even though the so-called lard breeds are used. As 

 the markets become more discriminating, breeders will pay more 

 attention to the production of quality, and with the demand for 

 greater excellence in meat the American or " lard " breeds doubtless 

 will be modified to play a large part in its supply. 



THE LARD TYPE OF HOG. 



The laid hog is low set and compact, with a very wide and deep 

 body. The shoulders should be full, although not coarse, with full 

 hind quarters and hams carried out straight to the root of the tail 



Fig. 1. — Poland-China boar. 



and thickly fleshed down to the hock. The flesh should be thick and 

 evenly distributed throughout the body. The size and weight are 

 largely determined by market conditions. Formerly, very heavy 

 hogs were in demand, but at present pigs weighing from 175 to 250 

 pounds ordinarily command the highest prices. The lard hog does 

 not show the quality and density of bone that prevails in the bacon 

 breeds. 



The principal breeds of the laid type are the Poland-China. Berk- 

 shire, Chester White, Duroc-Jersey, and Hampshire. Ranked ac- 

 cording to their numbers and popularity, the breeds of swine most 

 largely raised in North America in the first decade of the twentieth 

 century are the Poland-China, Berkshire, Duroc-Jersey, and Chester 

 White. Of these, the Berkshire is directly of English origin, while 

 the other three may be termed American breeds. 



