72 SWINE IN AMERICA 



boar alone, nor solely upon the sow, and it is only by a 

 combination of the merits from both parents that the 

 best results are had. It is not good breeding when his 

 sows ha\e become so effeminate and so high-bred that 

 the owner is led to think he must buy a coarse, rangy 

 boar to correct, b}' what amounts to violence, the defi- 

 ciencies which are the result of wrong methods. The 

 boar and sow should complement each other, and, as 

 a general rule, the sows should be roomy, broad and 

 maternal in appearance, while the boar ought to be more 

 compact, and well built, yet none the less robust, rugged, 

 and masculine. The rule is a good one that what one 

 parent lacks in desirable qualities should be conspicuous 

 in the other, but it is a requirement the necessity for 

 which should be prevented so far as possible, the better 

 procedure being to prevent serious lack of quality, con- 

 formation, or stamina in either sires or dams. 



Progress in breeding has not been without its develop- 

 ment of bad tendencies. Probably the most noticeable 

 retrogression in later years has been toward too weak 

 bone and cartilage. The heavier types, or what are 

 sometimes called the "lard hogs," often lack the firmness 

 of bone and strong ligaments their weight requires. No 

 one breed is by any means the sole sinner in this respect, 

 nor is it a defect confined to the hog of pedigree. It is 

 evident from tlie frequent complaints of "hogs breaking 

 down ;" and the inability of a hog to stand firmly up on 

 his toes, with a pastern joint but slightly curved, tells 

 the tale of insufficiency of hard, firm bone stayed by firm 

 connecting tissues. The pasterns should be slightly 



