The Lehi banner. [volume] (Lehi, Utah) 1891-1917, 1905-09-07

. Hogs at the Fairs.
n can not be denied that exhibits
Of swine at the small and large fairs
OF the country have done a great deal
of good in teaching farmers the types
of the various pure breeds of swine and
In stimulating them to attempt the Inn
provement of their home herd and
fully develop the pigs by adequate. .
feeding and good care. such as Is
given to show animals by the profess
sional exhibitor and his assistants. II
Is no less true that the exhibits at
most of the state fairs are growing un.
wieldy and less instructive to visitors
than would be the case were so or 50
per cent of the animals excluded, from
the exhibition Breeders evidently
bring far more hogs TO the fair than
they have any intention OF showing.
and indeed many meu show but three
or four hogs out OF an entry OF per-
haps ten TO twenty head. This, we
think, is correct, but we may be
little of as to exact figures. The
principle is at least correct, In that
many of the hogs entered are not
brought forward for competition, but
are merely brought to the fair with
the hope of finding purchaser. This
is all right for the breeder and per
haps good for the prospective buyer In
few instances. but II is not for the
general good of the visitor, who
wants the best possible chance to see
the best hogs and compare them, so
that he may learn correct lessons as
to best types and Improvements that
are being made from year to year In
the various breeds of swine.
Times are changing. The time was
was when the number of head OF swine
at a show was taken as the criterion
of success. The management came to
the conclusion that where a great
many breeders and a vast number o.
swine came together there surelJ
would be the best possible aggrega
ton of swine for the education OF the
farming public. But they erred Id
this estimate, for we have seen a bet
ter show of swine where but two OF
three hundred we're exhibited than
was the case where thousand head
crowded the buildings 10 Overlooking
When but few hundred we're shown
they were the pick OF the breeders
home lot Of hogs. Now that many
hundreds are shown a few of them
are fine specimens. and the majority
are Of medium or inferior quality ant
brought forward to sell. 1t is goot
that the breeder has an opportunit,
to sell his hogs at the state fair, but 4
is unfortunate that the presen
method of exhibiting allows the ex
, hibitor to I'LL any number OF pens h'
cares to pay for and with any kind o
/ hog he fancies will sell to good ad
!, vantage. We do not desire to cur
tail the opportunities OF the breeder
4 but we do wish to improve those o
D the visitor and student.
To this end the management o
every fair should set apart accommo
dations for hogs intended for sale, blu
not for show. The houses for shoy
; hogs should be kept clean, well dis
infected, deodorized and ventilated, s.
that visitors may go the rounds Il
comfort. and the hogs DO less expose
to the ravages Of contagious disease
Into these show houses a single e,
hibitor should not be allowed to pu
more than sufficient swine TO give hiI
one. or at most, two or three, eand
dates for honors in each event. Wer
this done the visitor could then max
an intelligent study of the winners
and by looking at the pick of tn
swine, would best educate himself
improvements taking place in type
and among the different breeds TIL
work of the judges would also b
greatly lessened, for II takes time I
weed out the poor hogs until the goo
ones remain to be given the prize
Another necessary Improvement
connection with the exhibition of hos
at the state fairs is better drainag
of the sites OF the hog houses
some fairs should a rain come, III
ground about the hog houses is spec
lily trampled to a mush and visitor
can not get about comfortably wit
out rubber boots. IL would be a cor
paratively easy matter TO properl
drain such places and to provide sid
walks built high enough above II
ground to keep them from becomiu
water-logged and Undiscovered duriu
a wet spell Lastly II will be we
when hogs can be housed accordir
to classes as well as breeds, but niue
simpler things have to be properly q
: tended to before such a radical mea
=. ure as this can be instituted.-A
. Alexander in Farmers Review.
. The Cream Separator.