CHAPTER V. 



Practical Points in Breeding 



Perhaps the best sugg-estion that can be offered the 

 man wlio raises hogs is that he should strive for the 

 golden mean, avoiding extremes in any phase of the 

 business. There are many temptations to go too far, and 

 success often comes from knowing when and where to 

 stop. Corn is a wonderful feed, and in its territory 

 swine raising- is on a secure basis, but the farmer who 

 relies too much on corn and neglects the properly asso- 

 ciated feeds will force his hogs into the weak-footed 

 brigade, exposed to the assaults of disease through lack 

 of proper development. On the other hand, a man may 

 go too far in seeking the adapted ration, as did the 

 farmer who fed his hogs concentrated lye to soften and 

 make digestible the grains in the hogs' stomachs ; the 

 grain was no doubt softened, but the hogs died before 

 the beneficial effects, or rather action, of such a carefully 

 adjusted diet could be ascertained. Caution tempered by 

 common sense should be the general motto. 



If the beginner will start with not more than tAvo or 

 three sows, in pig when purchased, he can acfiuire much 

 Aaluable experience with even so small a number, while 

 his risks will not be great. The next year he may add 

 to the number of sows, secure a suitable boar, and by 

 slow but careful increase in the number of sow^s bred 



