SWINE. 381 



We prefer swine of medium size, and fineness of points, always combining with these 

 a good constitution, early maturity, rapid growth, fecundity, hardiness, and a superior quality 

 of flesh of both fat and lean. The flesh that abounds most in fat is best suited for salting and 

 barreling pork, while such as give a greater amount of juicy, tender, lean meat, are best for 

 hams and tender bacon. 



Selection of the Boar. Whatever the sow may be, the breeder should always use 

 a thoroughbred boar for breeding purposes. A grade hog may perhaps look quite as well as 

 the thoroughbred, but he will not transmit with certainty the good qualities of the breed, and 

 hence will be totally unfit for breeding. &quot;What is termed prepotency is possessed only by 

 pure bred animals, and hence the value of such for breeding. These qualities have become 

 fixed by a long course of careful breeding, while in the grade there is no element of perma 

 nence in this respect. Having decided upon the breed, the next step is to select the indi 

 vidual animals. The boar chosen should have a strong, vigorous constitution. The mascu 

 line characteristics should be prominent, avoiding such as are of the effeminate order. 



On this point, a prominent and successful breeder in the West says he prefers that the 

 male used in breeding should be rather coarser than the average type of any given breed. 

 Another gentleman distinguished for his success in swine husbandry, states that he would go 

 still further, and apply the same rule to the selection of brood sows; that he has found that 

 sows of a coarser, stronger type, were more hardy, more prolific, and better nurses, and that 

 their pigs were usually better than those from sows of a finer, smoother, and more delicate 

 make-up. The inherited health and constitutional vigor resulting from the mating of strong 

 and vigorous parents, will be apparent not only in the number in the respective litters, but 

 also in the size, strength, and qualities that go to the making of a pig that will be worth a 

 good price all of the way from birth to maturity. 



The early selection of the boar is especially desirable, for in this way there is a large 

 number to choose from, giving the opportunity to select the best. In breeding for the general 

 pork market, the selection should be very different from that for show purposes alone, in 

 which case a delicate ear, fine tail, and a tendency to fatten rapidly, with other and less 

 important marks, are matters of considerable importance. A natural tendency to fatness, and 

 fatness in the fully*developed state are essential in the show pig, but much of the high bred 

 swine of the present day have as strong a tendency to fatness as is well in breeding animals, 

 if large litters are to be obtained. An authoritative writer says on this point: 



&quot; The best show pig may come from the smallest sow in the herd, yet, as a rule, it is not 

 wise to select breeders from that class. We want the most size in the shortest time; and, as 

 stated, there are hardly any pigs in these days that do not inherit ample fattening proclivities, 

 so that we can quite safely forego a little of the fat that we may secure in the prospective 

 breeder roominess and tendency to growth. All litters, no matter how well bred, show varia 

 tions at weaning time, and appearances indicate that we can know the best pig for future 

 use, almost from the start. These appearances, however, are often deceptive, as we find a 

 few months later. The best pig at weaning time may not do as well as expected during the 

 next following three or four months; hence, it is best to watch the development, eventually 

 choosing those having size, with greatest width, depth, and length, combined with the finest 

 points.&quot; 



In all cases individual merit should be combined with purity of blood and desirability 

 of pedigree in the selection of swine for breeding. 



Having once secured a good breed, or having obtained the desired qualities by judicious 

 crossing and selection, every effort should be made to continue to improve it, always selecting 

 those animals that show the best points, and fixing them by breeding only from such. This 

 should always be combined with good care, for the best breed of animals that ever existed 

 will soon degenerate if left to care for themselves, or neglected. Gentle and kind treatment 



