I04 SWINE IN AMERICA 



many buyers to pay extreme prices for females, especially 

 cf cattle, is wholle unaccountable. 



"It is never too early to seek a new head to an estab- 

 lished herd. Proved sires are seldom for sale, and the 

 only recourse for the breeder is to prove his own; indeed, 

 what he needs is a sire that will produce well with his 

 females. 



"It takes much time and often many trials to find a 

 worthy successor to the head of the herd. Putting it off 

 too long, and a feeling of fancied security, are the two 

 causes of leaving a herd without a head, and of the 

 enforced evil practice of using an untried sire." 



A useful fact to remember is, that regardless of his 

 having or lacking a fancy head and ear, the really valua- 

 ble parts of a hog are behind his ears. Another is that it 

 requires unusual skill to take a pampered boar from the 

 fairs, loaded with fat, and reduce him to a condition in 

 which he will be most valuable for service. A young 

 boar, thrifty and M^ell conditioned, fresh from pasture, is 

 the one, other things being equal, from which most satis- 

 factory results can be expected. 



SUMMARY 



By way of summary of the points enumerated in this 

 chapter, it may be said that the best results will be ob- 

 tained from a pure-bred boar that shows desirable char- 

 acteristics, is masculine, is somewhat more compact than 

 the females he is to be used upon, and strong in points in 

 which they are deficient. He should be the best the buyer 

 can purchase, and it is unwise to let a matter of a few 



