Oregon Republican. [volume] (Dallas, Or.) 1870-1872, 1871-04-08
scientific and Theological Aspect OF
the Hog.
IFrom tho seientlll American


A writer in the Chicago Post thus
expatiutes on the hog:
The hog has been in disrepute long
time, at least ever since he began to
play his part in the ancient religions
1t is fashionable to ridicnle and de-
nounce him, to call him filthy brute,
aud to insist that4he is the dire author
of leprosy, -eonsnnption, cancer, scrofu-
la, and the most disgusting diseases
that afflict humanity. This is the teach
ing of pref judice, rot OF science.
The hog outlives all hostility, and
laughs, so to speak, at the great
success of his slanderers. Still is
the reeking roast pig the sacrifice of
many a dinner table, and still is the
rura! ceiling festooned with the savors
sausage, and the smoke house fragrant
with ham. We deal with facts, nj t
sentiment. The hog is true cosmo>
poite--a citizen of the world. He in-
creases aud multiplies, and inhabits
every part of the habitable globe He
is as ubiquitous as the bat He does
not stand in high repute for his man,
ners, but he is most accommodating,
thriving with equal content in the sty
Of the rich and the kitchen Of the indi-
gent He wallows sometimes, but nat>
uralists tell us he does this for the sake
of cleanliness, which is next to godli-
ness-for the same reason that the Pa
citic Islanders grease themselves over
Among his quaint peculiarit.es are his
grunt of satisfaction and his squeal oil
remonstrance and reproach. He should
never be fed till he stops his squealing;
il is the approved method of breaking
him Of the habit.
Homer, in his odyssey" honored
the swine keeper with the confidence oi
Ulysses, and why not 7 The hog, called
stupid, is really one of the most enter.
prising and sagacious of animals. The
gamekceper of Sir Henry Midway ac-
tually broke black SOW to hunt game
in the woods; and she ran in the hunt
with wonderful success. She would
track game, back and stand, and would
point partridges, phcasants, snipes and
rabbits as skilfully as bred pointer
She would bound in response to d
whistle, and would wag her head anl
scream with delight on being shown 4
gun.
The Babylonian Talmud says
" Cursed be he that treedcth hogs !
aud the history of the Maccabees tell,
US that the scribe Eleazer walked
stright TO the tortures Of persecution
rather than eat slice of spare rib, he
roically preferring the martyrs stake
to the pork steak This animal ha,
been under the ban OF many religions
The Mohammedans learned from th,
Jews, as the Jews had learned from tbs
Egyptians, to hate him, because hi
perversely declined to chew the cud
but he still manages to masticatc ant
digest consi lerable pottage in th'
course of a year.
The hog is the product Of nature
most economical thought There is n,
part that cannot be utilized His flesh
fat, bristles, hair, hoofs and bones ar,
all turned to account "1'he divisions
of his unctuous body" says Apacius
''are as familiar as the divisions Of tn,
earth. Ills ears and feet 20 to souse
his brains are choice dish for the cpl
cure. His tail has for ages been claim
ed by successive generations OF chill
dren as their particular property. Ira
dition points out how to appropriate it
roast on the Goals, take in the finger
and eat without salt"
The hog is the staff of life, the arcl
enemy of famine, the poor mans bes
friend. Moreover, in his earlier day
he is strikingly playful, frlsky, Gun
ming, and graceful-as much NOR
interesting than a human infant of til
same age as the latter is more interest
ing than so much putty. In adult pig
hood, he is omniverous and self reliant
. bold and expeditionary, and he breed
faster and keeps cheaper than an
other domestic animal.
America is pre- emiuently the hom
, Of the hog; he is logical deductio
J from Indian corn. He was introduce
into Virginia in 1900, and here h
! multiplied so rapidly that the colonisi
were compelled to Ralisade Jamestow
> high, to keep out the Indians clos.
! to keep out the hogs. Mrs. Hog ca
produce ten to twenty at birth, q
! often as twice year. The descendan,
: of single pair-allowiog six young
a littor--would amount to six millior
in fifty years. The gratitude of til
9 country is due to Cincinnati, for tha
0 by assiduous harvesting, she kee,
+ down the inundatlon which constant
! threatens to overwhelm us In on ul
q common ruin.
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