re's protection for
the sheep. Have you ever opened the fleece and observed the clean skin
in which the fibers grow? These fibers, or hairs, are so roughened that
they push all dirt away from the skin toward the outside of the fleece.

Wool is valuable in proportion to the length and evenness of the fiber
and the density of the fleece.

EXERCISE

1. How many pounds ought a fleece of wool to weigh?
2. Which makes the better clothing, coarse or fine wool?
3. Why are sheep washed before being sheared?
4. Does cold weather trouble sheep? wet weather?

SECTION LVI. SWINE

The wild boar is a native of Europe, Asia, and Africa. The wild hogs are
the parents from which all our domestic breeds have sprung. In many
parts of the world the wild boar is still found. These animals are
active and powerful, and as they grow older are fierce and dangerous. In
their wild state they seek moist, sandy, and well-wooded places, close
to streams of water. Their favorite foods are fruits, grass, and roots,
but when pressed by hunger they will eat snakes, worms, and even higher
animals, like birds, fowls, and fish.

[Illustration: FIG. 255. WHICH WILL YOU RAISE?]

Man captured some of these wild animals, fed them abundant and
nutritious food, accustomed them to domestic life, selected the best of
them to raise from, and in the course of generations developed our
present breeds of hogs. The main changes brought about in hogs were
these: the legs became shorter, the snout and neck likewise shortened,
the shoulders and hams increased their power to take on flesh, and the
frame was strengthened to carry the added burden of flesh. As the animal
grew heavier it roamed less widely, and as it grew accustomed to man its
temper became less fierce.

[Illustration: FIG. 256. A PAIR OF PORKERS]

Meat can be more cheaply obtained from hogs than from any other animal.
When a hog is properly fed and cared for it will make the farmer more
money in proportion to cost than any other animal on the farm.

The most profitable type of hog has short legs, small bones, straight
back and under line, heavy hams, small well-dished head, and heavy
shoulders. The scrub and "razorback" hogs are very unprofitable, and
require an undue amount of food to produce a pound of gain. It requires
two years to get the scrub to weigh what a well-bred pig will weigh
when nine months old. Scrub hogs can be quickly changed in form and type
by the