Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1876-12-28

ing from eight to twelve pigs.
The improved also mature quite
early, and at eight or nine months
will give from two hundred to two
hundred and fifty lbs. of pork, and
in many cases much more with extra
care. At eighteen months they will
run from three hundred and fifty to
four hundred and fifty lbs. of pork
each. We have had them weigh at
two years, seven hundred and eighty
lbs. and not ut all coarse or over
grown in style either. They are
generally very uniform 10 every re-
speot, though there are some fami.
lies that attain little moro size
than others. They are rot raven
GUS like the common hog, but are
| good feeders, and what they eat
seem to do them good all over; and,
IN fact, without discussing the subject
further, they can be briefly sum
moned up as hardy, prolific, do
mestic and reasonably easy-keering
animal, and one that can be sen, TO
market at and age, with prof to tho
producer, and satisfaction 10 The cos
sumner. Consequently. in my judg-
ment, one who is undecided is hls
choice cannot far sstray in selecting
the Berkshires.
In suming up the desirable quali>
ties which the Suffolk possesses,
however, we fad them not less vel
liable, and perhaps even more prof.
able Tor some purposes than those of
any other breed, unless we accept
the Essex. They are without ques
ton the earliest to mature, take on
fat more readily, and produce more
net pork with the same amount of
feed than any other of the hog kind.
| Thesa are certain facts, and very de-
sicaha ones when corn is worth
eigh,y cents per bashel. Two pounds
each per day is no uncommon aver
age gain through tho feeding season,
and l have known an increase of
three and one-half pounds per day
for six weeks, or total of one hum
dred aud forty >seven pounds for one
pig n six weeks time.
And this propensity for iattening
Ss'a from the time they are suck
tugA they can be fatted as well at
Xix 81 eight months as at any other
age and this 10 a very desirable
iaa'ure, tor spring pigs can BIO sent
to the market weighing two hundred
aud fly pounds without much ex-
'ra exf rtion. and the pork, rightly
banded, will always bring half
dollar and often moro per hundred
ihan Gill the commoner kinds ana
10 reality it is worth much more to
| the consumer from the fact Of its
quality. Tue head and feet are
almost nominal appendsges, while
the bones of the carcass are SO fine
and small that they cause but little
| loss.
The objection is often raised that
thee are spt TO be too fat for use,
etc. Of course this is only from per
cons of superficial ideas. IL might
as we'll be said that sugar is too
sweet, or vinegar too sour, espeo-
tally when lard is eighteen cents per
pound, and sparcribs and other trim
mings worth only four or five cents
per pound. 1t is the fat that affords
the greatest profit, and profit being
the object, the animal which win
produce the most fat with the least
expense, is the one fer the purpose
and this animal is unquestionabiy
the Suffolk, for they do certainly
excel in this popularity, particularly
at an early age. Notwithstanding
the above facts it should not be in
ferred that the pork is inferior rs
meat for the table. The animal may
have surplus of fat, but the heshy
| part afford as delicate and whole
some table meat as Can be found
among the hog kind, aud certainly
as delicious. The trimmings from
the dressed Suffolk will average but
about ten per cent, while those from
the long-legged, long.nosed, thick.
shinned, coarse boned kind, often
make twenty per cent. The con-
clusion obtained from the above facts
are obvious without farther COM
ment, and will now make reference
to some of the other desirable fea-
lures which the Suffolk possesses. a
very special one being their docile
quiet disposition. They are not in
cIined to stray if running loose, nor
will they root up pastures or mead
ows # turned in upon them, even if
moi provided with rings and they
are seldom known to squeal and
clamor, if half cared tor. 1t is owing
TO the quiet, domcetc nature that
they grow and fAtten so rapidly and
economically. They also have q
good constitution, and are invaria-
bly, healthy with Us when past the
tender age, also as hardy as any.
As before stated, they are not raven
Gus, though good feeders, with o
sharp appetite for what they reqaire.
When Fed with regularity, they will
be on hand at the usual time with
almoet exact promptness, and enter
inio he business of feeding with
vigor, after which they will retire to
their beds and attend wholly to bust
ness, which for them is to grow and
fuuen.
The Essex are so very similar to
the Suffolk in nearly every respect
except color, that the above desclip-
lion of qualities can be applied to
them perhaps they do not mature
quite so early as the former, but
they attain nearly as much weight,
and fatten quite as easy, having the
same quiet disposition and nature.
Their skin from it's power affords
them one advantage over the Suf-
folks that lie, when the pigs of the
latter are very young, if exposed to
a burning sun they are liable to
scaId or blister upon the back, while
this is never the case with the Essex.
Here let ma say that when Suffolk
pigs are farrowed during the sum-