West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1885-10-02
PiG-PEN PROFITS.
An Animal which Deserves More or Praiss
Than lie Gets.

"
An Animal which Deserves More or Prais.
Than lie Gets.
During the past few years it has been
the fashion of writers on stock-breeding
TO present the pleasures and profits of
raising horses. cattle. sheep and fowls
In a very attractive form. Some Of
them have declared that fortune and
happiness n be secured by raising
these creatures with greater certainty
than by adopting any other pursuit.
Even the life of the cowboy has been
presented as fascinating. On more
than one ranch are young men who by
no reverse Of fortune have left elegant
homes to enjoy what arc called the
wild delights of the Far West. Many
ci:y gentlemen of wealth and leisure
have adopted stock-raising as an ele-
CANT pursuit. They have paid cxtrava-
giant prices for cattle and horses as 9TH
ers have for pictures and s~tatuary.
Some, who have not INDUCED in the
costly luxury of n stock farm as
a means of gratifying their pleasures,
have purchased Jersey cattle to orna-
ment their lawns, preferring them for
this purpose TO costly plants or fragrant
flowers. Others who have but limited
grounds have kept fancy fowls. In
villages and cities the number of poul-
try-fanciers has greatly increased dur
ing the past few years. Most of these
persons would keep cattle, horses and
sheep had they sufficient space for the
purpose.
But during the time in which the
praises OF horses. cattle, sheep, chickens
and ducks have been sung few have
spoken n good word for the pig. A
great many bad words, however, nave
been spoken. It's flesh has been declared
to be unwhOlesome wen in its best
estate. Many have been led to believe
that the body of the average pig is the
repository OF 4 large number and great
variety of parasites. The circumstance
that American pork products have been
excluded from several European coun-
tries has been regarded 10y many "a
furnishing conclusive evidence that
they are not fit to be eaten at home.
The hatcrs of pork have never minated
that France and Germany have been
led to place restrictions on our pork be-
cause we placed n heavy duty on their
manufactured goods. An attempt has
pNti ~ W ItNlNt all llt III CO
entertained by the ancient Jews against
the hog. One flippant writer has re-
fcrrod to the hog as 1.-THE animal into
which a legion of devils went, and from
which they never came out" Scnsa-
tional. accounts have been published of
the ravagcs of certain diseases among
swine, and the impress sion has been
made on the minds of many that the
hog is much more likely to become dis
eased than any kind of animal or bird
used by man for food.
Still, pork continues to be the leading
kind of meat among the laboring classes
in this country as well as i'm most Of the
countries of Europe. 1t is the kind of
meat that contains the smallest amount
of waste. 1t can be cooked in its own
fat, and, as butter is not needed to
dress it, is more economical than other
sorts of meat. Unlike beef and mutton,
he fat contained in pork is much more
valuable than the flesh itself. Lard, or
any sort of hog fat, is used for cooking
fish and vegetables, while tho fat Of
cattle and sheep is rarely ever used as
human food. 1t is employed for max
ing candles and soap or used in the
preparation of leather. The price If
lilo is constantly declining, while
that of lard is advancing. People who
decline to use pork as u regular article
OF food are very fond of 10 rs a relish.
At the best restaurants in all large cities
slices OF fried salt pork or side bacon
are served with oysters, steaks and
chops. The flesh of no domesticated
animal has so delicious flavor as that of
The hog. A large proportion of a steer
or sheep aside from the fat IS of no
value for food, but the head, feet and
even the tail of the pig furnishes excel
lent food. They are dissimilar in the
matter of taste from the flesh of the
body of the animal.
The hog is kept on most farms ut less
cost thar other animals. IL does not
require costly buildings for its prOtec-
ton. 1t will eat and thrive on many
kinds of food that other animals reject.
During the summer it will gain in a
grass or clover pasture. In the winter
1t will live on silage, roots or grain. IL
will utilize the surplus fruit and garden
vegetables that are not wanted by the
family. II will convert sour and
SKINNED milk and the leavings of the
table into a marketable product Hogs
increase faster than any animals kept
on farms, and on that account they are
of great value to farmers of small
means. Their fecundity renders it easy
not only to increase the stock Of them,
but TO improve it. Hogs can be pre-
pared for market much quicker than
steers or sheep, ADD their flesh can be-
more easily and more cheaply cured.
Hogs supply a large proportion of the
meat consumed i'm farm houses, as well
as on shipbOard, in mining-tents and
lOgging-huts. The sum of money de-
rived from the pork products sent
abroad is enormous. In the year 1894
it amounted TO $50. 662. 961. Evidently
the pig is not deserving of the abuse it
receives from many quarters. - Chicago
Times.