SWINE. 235 



marked out for him, and filling up rapidly the full measure of 

 his pighood, he pursues with fidelity the one single object of his 

 existence, viz: to eat, get fat, and be eaten in return. Living a 

 life marked with the virtues of contentment and gratitude, he 

 at last passes to the high and noble destiny of entering into that 

 close and intimate relationship to humanity of which, by the 

 subtle alchemy of assimilation, he is made to become a part 

 and parcel of man's very structure ; in short, of passing from 

 the condition of a ho(]: to that of a man. 



-'Q 



E. F. Bailey, Chairman. 



HAMPSHIRE. 



Report of the Committee. 



We invite attention to a few practical hints, and perhaps to 

 some existing errors, with regard to breeding, selecting, feeding, 

 and general management of the boar. 



A choice breed should be selected, preserved and improved. 

 It is more honorable to breed a choice boar, than to import 

 him. Breeding a boar for service is a matter of no small im- 

 portance, and success requires skill and good judgment. The 

 pedigree, for at least three generations back, should be ascer- 

 tained, in order to avoid any impurities of blood, which fre- 

 quently make their appearance after generations of apparently 

 pure stock. 



In breeding it would be well to observe at what age a sow 

 brings the best pigs, and whether at the first or second litter; 

 also the effect of in and in breeding ; and whether the boar that 

 first serves the sow has any influence on succeeding litters ; and 

 whether stock from two different boars is of equal quality, if 

 the one serves ten sows a week, and the other only as many 

 in a year. 



In selecting the boar for service no haste is required. It is 

 too frequently done when the pigs are quite young. If all of 

 them should run together, and have the same keeping until they 

 are somewhat matured, a good judge of stock will make a good 

 selection. 



The feed of the boar should be such as to produce a rapid 



