Rensselaer Union, Volume 11, Number 26, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 March 1879 — How Great Hogs are Fattened. [ARTICLE]

How Great Hogs are Fattened.

Carter and Southard have reduced the business of pork-raising to a science. The former, intent upon taking the palm, started off with thirty-nine hogs. Upon twenty-seven of these he bases his* hopes of success. Of the original number several have been killed. In January three of them came so very near choking to death that the farmer grew frightened and slaughtered them. They weighed 798, 817 and 738 pounds, respectively. The hogs entered for the prize have had the very best of care. There are just two events in the lives of such hogs—sleeping and eating. They are too fat even to waddle. They never wake up, except to eat, and that process over they again stretch out upon clean straw in their separate pens. These particular hogs of Mr. Carter’s were too lazy even to feed themselves, and. indeed, even if they were not, they could not see their food. For weeks they had been in total blindness. Like the average hog of no particular distinction they all had eyes, but three inches and a half of genuine fat kept them closed completely. The feeding process is one of interest to both hog and spectator. The farm hand rolls up boiled meal into round balls and forces it into their hogships’ mouths. The hogs grunt and swallow and keep it up until they are perfectly gorged. They are kept in a stuffed condition on the best of meal, and all that is asked of them is to grow fat. Southard has not killed yet. He began the year with twenty-nine hogs, all Jersey reds, but his pens now contain but twenty-three. There they were, lying around, grunting and puffing, and with snouts pointing upward in search of air. Their eyes could not be seen, and it took strong fingers to pry away the masses of fat so that the hidden organs of sight could be opened out. The blind, helpless masses were shaken by loud breathing, and occasionally would give vent to a snort, but they seemed entirely unable to getupon their feet.— Burlington (N. J.) Letter to Philadelphia Times.