43 



made of 4" strips of inch lumber, with a 10" board at the bottom on each side. 

 The supports for the feet of the boar (AA) are hinged at the front end of the 

 crate, and can be raised or lowered by means of the chains (B). On the outside 

 of the crate are hooks for holding the chains. " C " is an iron rod which slips 

 through holes (D) bored in the bottom side boards of the crate. The rod should 

 come just above the hocks of the sow, and there should be enough holes to permit 

 adjusting the rod to the size of the sow. If it is desired to use a small boar on a 

 large sow, the crate may be made to answer the purpose by simply placing a cleated 

 sloping platform at the rear of the crate. 



The Sow. 



Selection. — For the production of market hogs it is not essential that a sow 

 should be pure-bred. A grade sow of good type and parentage will usually produce 

 very satisfactory pigs for market purposes, if mated with a boar of good breeding 

 and quality, but, of course, none of lier boar pigs should be kept for breeding 

 purposes. i ■ 



Fig. 9.— Breeding crate. 



Whether pure-bred or grade, a sow selected for breeding should be from a pro- 

 lific mother, and by a boar that comes of a prolific family, because fecundity is 

 hereditary to a very high degree. It is safest to select a sow from a matured mother 

 who has had a chance to demonstrate her usefulness. In making a selection, the 

 number and character of the teats should be noted. A sow is more likely to make 

 a good mother if she has at least twelve well-developed teats, set well apart, and the 

 front ones well forward on the body. 



In character, the sow is directly the opposite of the boar, and there is a femin- 

 inity about her general appearance and bearing which indicates the prolific and 

 indulgent mother. 



When a really good sow is once obtained, she should be kept in the herd as long 

 as she retains her usefulness. A really first-class sow is not too easily obtained, and 

 when once acquired it will be found the part of wisdom to keep her as long as she 

 continues to produce satisfactory litters. 



