I. — Neat head. The pig that is very long in the head is usually narrow 

 between the eyes, has seldom a very strong constitution, and has rather more 

 hone than is required. On the other hand, the pig that is very short in the 

 head is usually too fat, too heavy in the fore end, thick in the neck and," heavy 

 in the shoulders. Neat in the head means neither too long nor too short a 

 nose. The ears should be fairly large, soft, and pliable, and should fall a 

 little to the front without actually being lopped. 



II. — Light neck and shoulder. The coarser parts of a side of bacon and 

 those which fetch the lowest price are the neck and shoulder. The lighter 

 these parts relatively the better the side and the higher the price it will make, 

 m. — Deep heart and well sprung ribs. Pigs are usually deficient in these 

 points, which are, perhaps, the most valuable of those here enumerated. For 

 stock purposes, breeders should, therefore, select only those animals which 

 have these characteristics strongly developed. 



IV. — Thick loins. A pig with a good loin is almost invariably well ribbed, 

 and has a strong constitution. From a breeder's and a feeder's point of view, 

 a. good loin is most essential. 



V. — Stout thighs. This means a pig thoroughly well developed in the 

 bams. The hams are the most important parts of the animal, and, in the case 

 of pigs killed for the ham and middle trade, the most valuable of all, pro- 

 vided they are not too fat. 



VI. — Short legs. A pig that is long in the leg is nearly always flat in the 

 ham and lacking in plumpness. 



VII. — Long and silky hair. Good hair is an indication of strength of 

 constitution as well as lean meat. The absence of hair generally proceeds 

 from close breeding, and indicates a tendency to excessive fatness. 



VIII. — A long side of moderate depth, with thick flank. 

 This type of animal should be .aimed at, whether pure bred, half-bred, or 

 •common bred pigs are kept. 



To produce pigs having the qualities enumerated above, the first consideration 

 must be given to the selection of the boar. It is said that the boar is half the 

 herd. Even this estimate undervalues his power of reproducing his like. It is, 

 therefore, all important that a boar possessing the particular points described 

 should be obtained. 



At present the improved Large White Yorkshire and the Large Black appear 

 to be the breeds which possess the required points. A sire of one of these breeds 

 should therefore be selected. 



The pig that commands the highest price is an animal which when well 

 finished and not over fat, weighs 12 stone (168 lbs.) dead, or about 15i to 16 stone 

 (217 to 224 lbs.) living. A good pig ought to arrive at this weight at the age of 

 seven months from birth. 



In selecting a sow there are a few points which a good specimen should 

 possess, in addition to these mentioned for the boar. The sow should be docile 

 and should have at least twelve teats, of an equal size, and evenly 

 placed well forward on the belly. Sows having large flat teats generally secrete 

 very little milk, and on this account prove bad mothers. The fineness of the hair, 

 skin, and bone all indicpte a good quality of flesh, and an animal that is likely 

 to become a good mother. 



Pigs should be well fed, but not over fed. It is only when fed regularly that 

 pigs give most satisfactory results to the feeder. 



During the first half of the sixteen weeks which a sow goes in pig she should 

 be allowed to run on grass ,and should receive a limited amount of other food, 

 for the last eight weeks she should be treated more generously, so that she may 



