31 



Province there is an inclination to use more Berkshires than heretofore 

 for the purpose of crossing, principally with the Yorkshire, although 

 crosses with other breeds are also rioted. In the eastern part of the 

 Province the tendency in most sections is to go more to Yorkshires. 

 In one or two counties the Chester Whites find considerable favor ; also 

 the Tamworths, although the general impression given by the reports 

 is that these two breeds are both decreasing in popularity. It may be 

 noted, however, that in the counties where the Tamworths are mostly 

 found, there seems to be no general tendency to change; the principal 

 breed in these counties, however, is Yorkshire, the Berkshire being 

 slightly in excess of the Tamworths. It would also appear that while 

 the Yorkshires are increasing in the greatest numbers throughout the 

 Province, the Berkshires are showing a higher percentage of gain. 



Quality of Sires. 



Pure bred sires are used almost entirely in 25 per cent, of the 

 counties, while in about 20 per cent, grade sires are used to a limited 

 extent. In about 35 per cent, of the counties grade sires are used still 

 more frequently, while in about 20 per cent, they are found in a great 

 many sections, and, as some of the correspondents state, are used in 

 some districts of their counties almost altogether. As a rule the counties 

 in which the smallest number of grade sires are used are west cf the 

 county of Hastings, and the district taking in the north-western pen- 

 insula will be found to "be freer from the use of grade sires than any 

 other section of the Province, although there are other individual counties 

 from which the reports are just as favorable. Considerable numbers of 

 grade sires are still being used in many sections of the eastern counties. 



Production. 



The general tendency throughout the Province is slightly to increase 

 production. In the eastern part of the Province it has been customary 

 for many farmers to depend upon breeders in their locality for their 

 supply of young pigs for feeding ; it has been noted that the demand 

 this spring considerably exceeds the supply, the breeders who usually 

 sell their pigs retaining them this year on account of the good prices 

 for hogs. It is quite probable that the feeders who are short this year 

 may be inclined to breed pigs for themselves another year, which would 

 add considerably to the production in that locality. While the tendency 

 throughout the Province is to increase as above, considerable caution 

 •is observed among many individual breeders and feeders not to go into 

 the business too extensively,- for fear that over production might bring 

 prices down to an unprofitable point,. 



The number of breeding sows was decreased considerably during; 

 1905, while 1906 shows an increase in the number not only over 1905 but 

 also over 1904. The reports indicate that in 21 counties the sows were 

 decreased in 1905, while 13 counties report slight increases and eight 

 counties report no change. Comparing 1906 with 1905, 35 counties 



