The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1915-08-17
SENSE IN THE HOG LOT.
The Trouble With Too Many Of US Is
That We Treat Our Hogs Like We
DO Our Orchards-Give Then a
/ Start I'm Life and Then Let Them
I Root Hog, or Die.

i start In Life and Their Let Them
III Root Hog, or Die.
4 The question of which breed Of
swine to select for the economic pro-
| dnction of pork is perhaps Of less i'm
rartance TODAY than in the past.
The leading swine-breeders have
/ begun to recognize the fact that they
must shape their favorite breeds to
meet market demands. AS a natural
result. the type Of ali the leading
breeds now conforms to a fixed
standard that meets the demands of
the packing house.
will not discuss the bacon breeds
NJ swine. for owing to the scarcity Of
the bacon type. there is little effort
made to separate them as a market
class If hogs.
The hog that best meets the de-
mand of the present time is q we'll
muscled hog. that will supply a fair
amount Of lard. and fat meat we'll
marblcd with lean. and be ready for
market at any desired age.
Practical ~pig-growers, and feeders
Of market hogs look for good quality.
depth. length and width Of form, and
uniformity of type, regardless of the
breed. color and characteristic mark
insS.
However. it is essential that we Sc
lect our breeding animals from some
we'll Established breed, for promiscu-
Gus mating of swine of various types
has = tendency to destroy the types
OF al the breeds employed in the
crosses and to throw away the re-
suit ~ years Of systematic selecting
amt mating. and p~erpetuate a certain
fixed type in the breed. This point
-a- .ll.at I'd -, - e
Poland China and half Chester White
sow with a pure-bred Berkshire boar
The pigs resulting from the cross
were red, spotted, speckled, and
striped. showing hat the improved
tyne of all three used in the cross
wtS lost. and with it the improve
mcutS in color and markings.
The result was the return of the off
spring by the principle of heredity tC
tn 1riginal scrub type.
All of our swine. particularly the
improved breeds. which are but &
modified form of the original. will no
produce themselves perfectly unleS:
guided by the hand Of man. Whateve1
breed is selected. should be kept pure
and only the best individuals used fol
breeding.
The man who makes a speciality o
producing pork, should grasp ever.
opportunity to improve his breedin.
stock. the same as the man who i
breeding registered swine.
Uniformity of type is an importan
thing in the successful management
of b~reeding-hogs, especially near mar
ket time, for a uniform bunch of hog
will bring more money on any marke
than a mixed lot.
A pure-bred lot Of hogs are mucl
more apt to mature together an
please discriminating buyers.
In selecting a breed we should Civ
particular attention to it's adaptabilit
Co the environments under which 1t
60 be placed. Some are good rustler:
some are more quiet and better adapt
I'd to small feed lots.
In the Northern States color is c
little importance, but in the South
large umb of pOrk-grOwers prefe
a black hog. as being less susceptibl
TO the heat and sun.
However, some Southern h~Og-grOw
ers still cling to white hogs and seer
to experience no trouble from the
source.
The breeds hat have proved be:
suited to your climate and condition
I'm the hands of farmers and feeder
are the safest breeds to invest in. W
all have our preferences. u likes an
dislikes. our favorite color markins
INC our hobbies, but from the stanC
point Of dollars and cents there is r
best breeds.
All breeds possess many good quail
ties, and some less desirable ones. an
the man who makes a failure wit
one breed can hardly hope to succee
with another. Judicious care wi
bring SUCCESS with any breed.
All practical ~hog-growers aGrt
that crossing the breeds is a DANCE
Gus practice. and that the best result
are attained by sticking to n bree
Still. some men still cling to tt
idea that it is possible to incorpora
all the good qualities of the differe'
breeds into a cross-bred animal.
II is A disastrous belief if put in
practice. There may be certain Il
stances when crossing will give goo
results. as in the production of p
pork.