334 Missouri Agricultural Report. 



flank. The back should be slightly arched with rib well sprung, 

 but not beyond the side line. A stick standing perpendicular and 

 touching the edge of rib should also touch the belly line and side 

 at every point. The loin must be thick and full and the meat 

 covering loin and back should be of firm quality, but not hard: 

 sides perfectly straight and deep with flank low and in line of 

 belly. In my opinion, no point is more overlooked and is less 

 considered by hog breeders than the flank. Without a low, deep 

 flank you cannot have a deep side and middling, and you very 

 seldom see a good flank without a correspondingly good side and 

 ham. The two points most indicative of a quiet disposition, easy 

 feeding, early maturing hog are head and flank. The rump should 

 be almost level with long coupling and tail well set up in line of 

 back. A short coupling is nearly always accompanied by a round 

 rib, high flank and not enough body depth. The ham should be 

 even with rib and side line and let down well to flank, but not out 

 of line or proportion with rest of body. You very seldom find a 

 big, bulging ham on a well proportioned hog, whose top and side 

 lines are even and where the flank is properly let down. A very 

 wide ham goes with a high flank and round rib which generally 

 means not enough depth and width below. A baggy ham at bot- 

 tom, often termed by breeders a "meal-sack" ham, is undesirable to 

 the packer — all the lower, flabby meat being waste. The rather 

 general opinion that you cannot get too much ham on a hog is 

 very erroneous, if the statements of a number of experts connected 

 with the packing business, with whom I have talked, are to be 

 considered. This surplus ham had better be over the loin or fill- 

 ing and rounding up the very usual depression in front of hip 

 bones and at coupling. Good length is desired — the distance from 

 root of tail to center of forehead should be about the same as 

 flank and heart measurement. The legs should set well out at the 

 corners of body and be straight, tapering nicely to foot with short 

 pastern joint and toes set close together. The bone can be heavy, 

 if short, although a medium bone if of good quality — sufficient to 

 carry a heavy body — would doubtless suit the packer just as well. 

 A big coarse bone and long legs are very objectionable and hogs 

 with such legs very seldom have the uniformity and quality to 

 bring a top price. The coat should be smooth and soft to the touch, 

 which usually indicates a thin hide and good quality of meat. Prob- 

 ably the most important point of all is the body surface, which 

 must be perfectly smooth and free from wrinkles or creases. The 

 flesh must be firm to the touch — soft, blubbery flesh that puts on 



