BREEDS OF SWINE. 407 



takes a bite or two and then commences travelling around his pen squealing 

 for something he has not. This performance may have a tendency to develop 

 muscle but does not assist in laying on flesh. There is one thing that should 

 nob be overlooked. I refer to the girth around the body, just back of the 

 shoulders, or what is called heart girth. This should never be less than the 

 flank girth ; if it exceeds the flank girth all the better, for it denotes strong 

 constitution and plenty of lung room. In quality our hogs should have a 

 soft, mellow feeling when the hand is placed on them. Hogs differ as much 

 in this respect as cattle or other animals. 



Early maturity is very essential for the reason that it shortens the length 

 of time that we have to feed. 



Next, we must be careful to select hogs with good, strong bone, not too 

 coarse nor yet too fine, for both of these have been found incapable of sup- 

 porting heavy weights. The bone should correspond with the size of the 

 hog, and should taper from hock and knee joints to the feet. Usually such 

 a bone is strong. Now, let us compare the four breeds that we have had 

 under consideration, and draw conclusions from the same. 



BerhsMres. — It has long been acknowledged that the Berkshire produces 

 pork of superior quality, it being Avell marbled, and on this account he is 

 the best of bacon hogs, lie has great length of body, and therefore pro- 

 duces an abundance of side pork. He has a heavy shoulder, but the ham is 

 often found to be light, it being not uncommon to see specimens of this breed 

 that appear to be wedge shaped, with the large end forward. Then again,, 

 the Berkshire is of a restive disposition, and inclined to be wild, unless he 

 has the most gentle treatment. To this roving disposition the nicely 

 marbled condition of his flesh is due. So much exercise develops the muscle 

 or lean meat upon the carcass. The pigs are very growthy, but do not fat- 

 ten well till ten or twelve months old. When nearly matured they are good 

 feeders and heavy weighers. They are usually healthy, strong fellows, and 

 are gaining favor quite raj^idly. 



Chester Whites. — These have many friends among men who are particular 

 about color, and are opposed to the black hog, yet want a large, straight 

 animal of good form and feeding qualities. The Chester White seems to 

 meet their views. There are several objections to the Chesters, and among 

 them there are two that are quite prominent. First, there seems to be quite 

 a deficiency in the strength of the bone of the hind leg, especially while 

 young. Second, they are slow to fatten while young. They grow well but 

 are hard to get in good pork condition till a year or more old, but after that 

 there are few breeds if any that surpass them as feeders. W^e see this dem- 

 onstrated in the show ring. We see the aged hogs in the best of condition, 

 while the pigs from four to six months old most always present a lean, lank 

 appearance. Chester White breeders will tell you that they are opposed to 

 putting their young stock in high condition. As a general rule it is impossi- 

 ble for them to get their pigs in good show condition. What we want is a 

 hog that we can make fat at any age, from four months to a year and one 

 half old. 



Yorkshires. — The Yorkshire possesses these qualities surely, but he has his 

 faults also. No hog is perfect. The trouble with the Yorkshire is his lack 

 of size. The Yorkshire pig is inclined to stop growing just as soon as he 

 commences to become fat, and buyers meet you with the objection that they 

 are too light for anything but brock hogs. They also claim that when they 



