THE HOG. 213 



with Chinese, is about the best porker I can mention. In every case, 

 whether your object be pork or bacon, {he. points to be looked for are — 

 in the sow, a small, lively hea<l, a broad and deep chest, round ribs, 

 capacions barrel, a haunch falliuo- almost to the hough, deep and broad 

 loin, ample hips, and considerable lerir/th of body in proportion to heic/ht. 

 One qualification should ever be kept in view, and, perhaps, should be 

 the first ^jom^ to which the attention should be directed, viz., smallness 

 of bone. 



Let the boar be less in size than the sow, shorter and more compact 

 in form, with a raised and brawny neck, lively eye, small head, firm, hard 

 flesh, and his neck well furnished with bristles — in other respects seek 

 the same points we have described in reference to the sow. Breeding 

 within too close degrees of consanguinity, or, breeding in and in, is calcn- 

 lated to produce degeneracy in size, and also to impair fertility ; it is 

 tlierefore to be avoided, although some breeders maintain that a Jii\st 

 cross does no harm, but on the contrary, that it produces offspring which 

 are disposed to arrive earlier at maturity. This may in some instances 

 be the case; it is 'so with horned cattle, but as far as swine are con- 

 cerned, it is not my own experience. 



Diftcrences of opinion exist as to the precise age of boar and sow, at 

 which breeding is most advisable. They will, if permitted, breed at the 

 early age of six or seven months ; but this is a practice not to be recom- 

 mended. My advice is, to let the sow be at least one year old, and the 

 boar at least eighteen months; but, if the former has attained her 

 second year, and the latter his third, a vigorous and numerous offspring 

 are more likely to result. The boar and sow retain their ability to breed 

 for about five years, that is, until the former is upward of eight years 

 old, and the latter seven. I do not recommend using a boar after he 

 has passed his fifth year, nor a sow after she has passed her fourth, 

 unless she has proved a peculiai'ly valuable breeder; in which case, she 

 might be suffered to produce two or three more litters. When you are 

 done with the services of the boar, have him emasculated — an operation 

 that can be performed with perfect safety at any age — fatten or sell 

 him. When it is no longer desirable to breed from the sow, kill her. 

 Before doing so, it is a good plan to put her to the boar, as she takes 

 fat afterward more rapidly than she otherwise would. 



If a sow be of a stock characterized by an unusual tendency to take 

 fat, it is well to breed from her at an unusually early age — say eight or 

 nine months ; for thistendency to fat, in a breeding sow, is highly ob- 

 jectionable, as conducing to danger in parturition. Let her have the 

 boar a couple of days after pigging, and let her breed as frequently as 

 she is capable of doing. This will eftoctually cheek the tendency to 

 fat; and, after having taken a few litters from her, you will find the 

 rapidity with which, should you desire her for the butcher, she will 

 take flesh quite extraordinary. In the case of such a sow, do not give 

 the boar before putting her up to fatten. 



Feed the breeding boar well ; keep him in high condition, but not 

 fat ; the sow% on the other hand, should be kept somewhat low, until 

 after conception, when the quantity and quality of her food should be 

 gradually increased. The Dest times for breeding swine are, the months 



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