The pins do not go through the lever. This trunk is placed in the
door of the pen, and two men are required to hold it and ring the hogs.
When a hog enters and tries to go through, one man shoves the lever up,
catching him just back of the head, and holds him there. The second man
then rings him, and he is freed. Fig. 26 exhibits the construction of the
trap, in the use of which one can hold the largest hog with ease.

[Illustration: FIG. 26. TRAP FOR HOLDING HOG.]

AVERAGE WEIGHTS OF LIVE HOGS.

The average weight of all hogs received at Chicago in 1898 was 234 lbs.;
in 1896, 246 lbs. The average weight of all hogs received at Chicago in
1895 was 230 lbs.; in 1894, 233 lbs.; in 1893, 240 lbs.

EXTREMES IN MARKET PRICE OF PORK AND LARD.

The highest price of mess pork at Chicago during the last forty years,
according to the Daily Trade Bulletin, was $44 per bbl. in 1864, and the
lowest price $5.50 per bbl., paid in 1896. The highest price of lard was
naturally also in war times, 30c per lb. in 1865; the lowest price a shade
more than 3c, in 1896.

NET TO GROSS.

Good to prime hogs, when cut up into pork, hams, shoulders and lard, will
dress out 73 to 75 per cent, according to the testimony of the large
packing concerns. That is, for every 100 lbs. live weight, it is fair to
estimate 73 to 75 lbs. of product of the classes named. If cut into ribs
instead of pork, prime hogs would net 70 to 72 per cent, while those which
are not prime run as low as 65 per cent. For comparative purposes, it may
be well to note here that good farm-fed cattle will dress 54 to 56 per
cent of their live weight in beef, the remainder being hide, fat, offal,
etc., and sheep will dress 48 to 54 per cent, 50 per cent being a fair
average.

RELATIVE WEIGHTS OF PORTIONS OF CARCASS.

To determine the relation of the different parts of the hog as usually
cut, to the whole dressed weight, the Alabama experiment station reports
the following results. The test was made with a number of light hogs
having an average dressed weight of 137 lbs. The average weight of head
was 12.2 lbs.; backbone, 6.8 lbs.; the two hams, 25.4 lbs.; the two
shoulders, 33.1 lbs.; leaf lard, 8.3 lbs.; ribs, 5.5 lbs.; the two
"middling" sides, 35 lbs.; tender loin, 1.1 lbs.; feet, 3.6 lbs.

GATES FOR HANDLING HOGS.

The device shown in the accompanying illustrations for handling hogs when
they are to be rung or for other purposes, is very useful on the ordina