THE SOW : SELECTION AND MANAGEMENT IO9 



is of value. The chances are in favor of finding such a 

 man not far from home. Buying unseen sows or other 

 breech'ng stock by mail is, in nine cases out of ten, of 

 (loiihtful advisability. 



A GOOD BROOD SOW 



A sow that is motlierly, a generous milker, with a 

 gentle, quiet disposition, and prolific in farrowing 

 healthy, quick-growing pigs, is well selected, and a treas- 

 ure which should not be discarded until her usefulness 

 has been outlived. A good brood sow is a roomy animal, 

 preferably with a long, deep body and well-developed pel- 

 vic region. The head and throat should be smooth and 

 trim and the forehead broad. The shoulders should be 

 broad and smooth, and the heart girth large, as when 

 this is lacking the vital organs will probably not have the 

 strength tliey should and would possess with more room. 

 Some authorities now question the old theory that tlie 

 female parent influences the offspring's heart, lungs and 

 other vital organs, while the sire dominates in the make- 

 up of the frame and general external structure, but so 

 far nothing conclusive has been offered to disprove this 

 and it is worthy of acceptance until a better is given a 

 positively proved position. The sow's legs should be 

 fairly short and straight, noticeablv strong and service- 

 al)le, yet without coarseness of bone. 



Such desirable qualifications as deep sides, ribs well 

 sprung out from a wide, well-fleslied. slightly arched back 

 and well-finished rump and hams, must not be lost sight 

 of. These characteristics, in whole or in part, along 



