Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1911-04-21

uSed Oh lard type S0WS, but with
rather unsatisfactory results; at
any rate, at the end of a three
year trial and in many eases a
One-year trial, the farmers went
back to the bears of the lard
type. This incident, according
to Mr.. Hoffman, demonstrated
that the farmer and not the
packer is the man who really de-
termineS hog type.
We have here in the corn
belt" said Mr.. Hoffman. what
We are pleased to term the four
leading improved breeds. of
lard hogs or fat backs, the PO-
land ChinaS Berkshire, Chester
White and DurOc-JerSey, and |
believe it is conceded by the very
best element of the swine breed
ing fraternity that there is room
for them ala place and de-
mand for them all-and if | were
asked which is the best / would
without hesitation answer that
there is no such thing as a best
breed. Whatever breed we most
sacrifice for, and that breed will
be sure to return the compliment
and make sacrifices for us.
Thirty years ago this winter
| came TO Eastern Iowa and found
them raising Berkshire and CheS-
ter White hogs, and for the first
time in my life saw Poland
China. a few years later the
DurOc-Jersey appeared. | have
watched these two breeds with
more interest for the reason, no
doubt, that they were not so
well developed as the older
breeds. | might say that | have
grown up with them. | have
watched them divide into what
would call about three types; the
light, early maturing or fine type
the medium, and the extreme
large or coarse type"
Speaking further on the matter
Of type, Mr.. Hoffman stated that
the reason why we have more
than one type is because farm
erS have different ideas as to
which type is the most profitable
and also because their farms and
methods Of farming differ. I'm
recent years." added the speak
er, "there has been considerable
agitation about the value of the
big-bOned type Of hog. While |
am not here to say that the big
bOned type is not the most prof
liable for the farmer | honestly
believe that too much emphasis
has been placed on large bones.
| am inclined to think that these
discussions are apt to leave an
impression on the minds of the be
ginnerS that an animal which
measures most around the hind
legs has the best bone. and that
Is unqueStiOnably wrong. While
l admire a good sized bone. !
want it to be in keeping with
the other parts Of the hog. DUAL
ity of bone Isl infinitely more
important than mere size"
Mr.. Hoffman did not expect
to settle the matter as to which
particular tpye of hog is the most
profitable for the farmer. not to
lay down any hard and fast rule
which swine breeders might adOpt
but rather left the impression
that so long as conditions on our
farms vary and so long as peO-
| pie have ideas of their own that
are not very easily changed, there
will always be more than one
type of hog produced and each
will have its own advocates.
81 believe Mr.. Hoffman added.
it is a fact that the lighter hog
or finer type of hog, on account
of early maturing qualities, the
fact that a smaller amount of
grain required to place him on
the market, is making his awner
good money. | believe it will
not be disputed that the medium
type has proved a financial sue
cess to its advocates; also that
the extreme large or coarse type
when in the hands of men who
fancy them and have the skill to
handle them, have been a KlOn-
dyke to their promoters. In con-
cluSiOn, let me say, when a per-
son settles on a breed in accord
ance with the dictates of his
fancy, cares for his stock as he
should, that he has, as nearly as
possible, and so far as he is con-
cerned, solved the problem of
us the most profitable type of
hog for the farmer.