Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1860-11-02
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As this species Of farm stock justly oocu.
pies much Of the attention Of the farmers Of
the West, at this time, propose to devote {
small space to this Ane bresd d hogs which
is commanding 70 much attention. It would
be well to see first what constitutes . good
hog. fEgTE EPE1s -Tgg IS
The head should be short, handsome, and
sprightly, with thin, small, pointed and pen.
dulous ears. The jowl should be medium
size. The neck short, but not too heavy,
fitting well on the shoulders the shoulder
not quite SO high as the loin, thick, and Of
good substance, rounding we'll out the con-
stitution is generally in proportion to the capa-
ciousness Of the breast and loin The brisket
coming well down, and the distance between
the fore legs as great as possible. The back
broad and straight, and rather slightly arched
than otherwise, and particularly no sinking
Immediately behind the shoulder. The ribs
well arched, forming good barrel, and sup.
porting the belly well. The loin, as before
remarked, wide and full, with ribs coming
well back. The rpmp rounding off even
the tail well set on, small and tapering, and
thinly haired. In the Suffolk breed the tail
is curled like cork screw. The ham must
be Of good size, round and plump, and swell.
ing out so as to come in line with the
shoulder; such formed ham will weigh well
to its size The hips, wide spread, and the
twist coming well down; the flank deep and
full; the belly roomy, but not coming too
near the ground. The legs straight and fine
in the bones, the muscles heavy, particularly
in the thigh and arm; the hook pointed
the pastern joints firm and strong, not rest
ing the dew claws on the ground, SO that the
animal has bold and erect footing . thick,
fleshy leg will not carry heavy hog to a dis
tant market. The skin thin and gelatinious,
and easy masticated, soft and handling well,
and free from eruption. The hair smooth,
fine and soft. No bristle on the neck, Shout
der or back The above described form and
qualities are those that in our view constitute
agood hog.
The first thing in rearing swine is to select
the right breed. And in my estimation the
pure Suffolk will come nearer filling the above
description than any breed that have ever
seen.
The prevailing idea at the West, has been,
and is to some extent now, that large,
coarse hog, requiring years to mature, weigh
ing to from four to seven hundred, is the on
~ hog that can be raised to pay. In such
pork, there is great waste Of offal; the hams
are too large, and Of Dad shape, as also the
shoulder; the sides, nevertheless, of this
great size, are then in proportion. Now l
contend, that such hogs will not pay; hog
that is to be fed two winters, never will pay
for cost. A medium sized hog, for family
use, and for packing, that natures from ten
to twelve months old, is far preferable to an
ovcrgrown : corn crib" --g
john MAnARD, an old and extensive pork
packer, in Cincinnati, in speaking Of large Is.
medium size hogs, prefers the medium. He
says it is fully as much to his interest, and
that fevery one else engaged in curing pork
for market, as to the interest u tI.o farmer,
that the very best breed of hogs should be
scattered over the country. He says he can
make no use in market, Of hogs weighing
from four to seven hundred pounds, even
though they may be well fattened. Ahog Of
proper form and quality Of meat, that natures
at ten or twelve months old, so as to fatten
properly, and that weighs from two to three
hundred pounds, is the sort for which they
will give the highest price, because it yields
them the greatest profit, and most assuredly
ie viii pay the farmer the best. This is the
testimony Of aFold pork packer.
A spring Rg, killed in the fall, weighing
two hund re1p pounds net, will certainly pay
better tha II the. same pig had been kept
over winter and killed the second fall at five
hundred pounds net. Now, as stated above
pork will always be staple article of the
West, and it should be matter Of considera-
bic consequence to the farmer, as to what
kind he breeds from. He should breed from
those that are, upon the whole, most profta-
bic to the producer and consumer. (.
AS said before, believe that the Suffolk is
the best hog in the country for family use, or
for packing, and comes the nearest to what
constitutes good hog. The Suffolk breed