Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1893-04-06
me oLo noe AND The new.
Changes Tn tho Hog Raising Industry In
Iiuy Years,

Changes In tho Hog Raising Industry In
riny Years.
have just finished feeding tho pigs.
old and young, and tho sight Of their
broad backs. short faces, small ears aud,
above all, their docility. running to meet
me, and indeed keeping under my feet
in n very inoonveniont manner, has
aroused in my mind train Of reminis.
cences, How tho hog industry has
grownl Half "A century ago 1t amounted
TO but little. Then, ms now, one OF the
most importantanimals among the farm.
ers' stock was hog, not because 1t re.
quircd so much care. but 80 little. Ho
was expected TO furnish an important
part OF tho family diet. with, in many
cases, no attention paid to his own. Ho
was not an attractive looking animal;
indeed quite the reverse, long legged,
long nosod, with large, coarse ears, body
thin and ia. Ia clapboard, and covered
with coarse hair, which climaxed in u
row Of bristles covering tho ridge pole"
from head TO tail. These, when no wan
enragod or excited. stuck out like porcu.
pine quilts and gave him formidable
appearance.
In those good old times" wo did not
think Of converting tho hog into pork
until 1t was . or years old, and in
deed tho fattening process was only a
nominal affair in many cases. Some
farmers by much struggle captured them
alive few weeks before they wished to
butcher, put them in pens and fed corn
to give iirmness to tho pork and pre-
vent too much shrinking in the pot
In many cases tho hogs killed for use
were hunted in tho fall with dogs and
guns and shot or captured like other
game. This was done after they were
fattoned on mast" which consisted OF
ncorns and various kinds OF nuts and
wild fruits, such as pluns, pawpaws,
otc., not bad material, we must acknowl.
edge, for conversion into sweet and
wholesome meat.
As rulo no caro- was given hogs OK.
cept In severe cold weather, when the
grourN waa covered with snow and II
was impossible for thom TO find their
customary food. In such cases the owner,
taking basket Of corn, would start out,
and following one Of tho numerous "hog
paths with which tho timber was grid.
ironed" would travel until no found tho
bed. This was usually quite an extensive
affair. consisting Of dead leaves and
grass, Tho hogs, impolled by hunger
which drives away fear, would come ont
aud eat. Tho ration WAS not large-only
enough to sustain life until tho weather
would permit them to again forage for
themselves
There was white breed called tho
Irish Graziors," which were intro.
duced. Wo farmers did not tako kindly
to tho now breed aud no permanent
change was effected In tho hogs OF the
locality. A nelghbor afterward secured
u China pig as no called him. He was
great Improvement on anything ever
seen before In that region. yet no
brought no particular change except in
his owners herd The Berkshires were
introduced In different localities. and
perhaps were the foundation of tho solid
improvements OF tho western hoga. and
thus 1t has gone on. All improved
breeds have been introduced, and all
have ilourished, and though our favor
lie Poland,C hinas are IN tho van there