650 IOWA DEPARTMENT OP AGRICULTURE. 



We have several good and useful breeds of hogs, and it is your duty 

 and privilege to study the breeding and characteristics of the different 

 breeds and decide which as a breed would suit you and your surroundings 

 the best, always buying or picking on the best individuals for breeding 

 purposes. Do not in any case sell the largest and best ones because they 

 will bring a little more money at the present time. But retain them in 

 your herd and try to improve every year. Use the same judgment in all 

 Kinds of live stock. Use the best that you can get. The good money as we 

 often term it is not made in raising the average or under the average, 

 either crops or live stock of any kind. But the best money is made in rais- 

 ing more than the average of everything. 1 raise the Poland-Uhina hogs. 

 Why? Because I believe they suit me and my customers better than any 

 other breed. They are good feeders, quick maturers, easy keepers, good 

 mothers, plenty of size, generally good color and prize winners in the hot- 

 test of swine shows. I will give brief description of what 1 would call a 

 good Poland-China sow. 



Commencing with the head it should be short and wide, cheeks full, 

 jaws broad, forehead high and wide, wide between the eyes, face slightly 

 dished and surface even and regular; eyes, large, prominent, bright, clear 

 and free from wrinkles or much fat around them; ears, thin, soft, silky, 

 tips pointing forward and slightly outward and under full control of ani- 

 mal and should be of the same size and shape; neck, wide, deep, short, and 

 nicely arched; shoulders, broad, deep and full, and carrying width from 

 top to bottom; chest, large, wide, deep, roomy, with plenty of room for the 

 vital organs with a good girth around heart, wide between fore legs which 

 should be six inches apart in a full grown hog; back and loin should be 

 broad, slightly arched carrying same width from shoulders to ham, sur- 

 face even and free from lumps, broad on top indicating a well sprung rib; 

 sides, full, smooth, firm and deep, carrying size from shoulder to ham; 

 ribs, long, strong and well sprung at top and bottom; underline, wide, 

 straight and full, and as low at flank as at bottom of the chest; flank, full 

 and out even with the surrounding portion of body; hams, broad, full, long 

 and wide, lower part should be full and well covered with flesh; legs, large, 

 firm, straight, well set apart and squarely under the body, well muscled 

 and wide above knee and hock, capable of holding up more than its own 

 weight, pastern, short; feet, firm, short, tough and free froT) defeat-: t Q *l, 

 well set on, smooth, tapering, and carried in a nice curl; coat, fine, straight, 

 smooth ; color, black, white in face or on lower jaw, white on feet and lower 

 part of each leg, also bunch of tail; size, should be of good size for age, 

 two years or over should weigh 500 lbs., at 18 months about 350 to 400 lb"., 

 12 months 300 lbs., 6 months about 150 lbs; action and style, should be 

 easy, quick and graceful and attractive; condition, healthy, skin clear, 

 soft and mellow to the touch; disposition, quiet, gentle and easily handled. 



Now as I have tried to describe a good hog I will try to tell you a few 

 things about raising them. As I told you pick out the best you have always 

 selecting pigs from large, even litters. Try to get large sows and a little 

 fancier male. Use well matured animals at all times. Do not have breed- 

 ing hogs too fat but after they are mated you may profitably increase their 



