SH'INE AND THEIR MANAGEMENT. 937 



Selection of Breeding Stock. I have already intimated 

 that for the improvement of our hogs the boar is of more im- 

 portance than the sow. This is true not only because one boar 

 will improve all the pigs of the herd, and so it is much cheaper, 

 but also from the fact, now so well established as to need but 

 the statement, that the male parent determines mostly the out- 

 ward form and structure, while the female the internal. This 

 is forcibly illustrated by the breeding together of the ass and 

 horse. When the mare is bred to the ass, the offspring is a 

 mule, which is essentially an ass ; and a she-ass bred to a stal- 

 lion produces the hinny, which in outward form resembles the 

 horse. Each animal has the form and voice of the sire. It is 

 also true that with the best bred sows, if scrub boars are used, 

 the stock will rapidly deteriorate ; while, on the contrary, one 

 may begin with inferior sows, and by the use of thorough-bred 

 boars constantly improve the stock in form and quality. From 

 these premises it will be seen that upon the selection of the 

 boar will in a great measure depend the success of the breeder. 

 If the farmer expects to sell pigs for breeders, the boar should 

 be of the same breed as the sow; for the offspring of two dif- 

 ferent breeds will not constitute a thorough-bred, but a cross-bred 

 animal. To produce a thorough-bred both parents must not only 

 be thorough-bred, but also of the same breed. As the male is 

 to give form to the progeny, more attention should be given to 

 form in him than in the sow. 



As I can not find a better catalogue of the points desirable 

 in the male than is given by Coburn in his book on " Swine 

 Husbandry," I quote from it the following : " The boar should 

 have a short broad face, with round heavy under-jaw, and thick 

 short neck, indicating strong vitality and assimilating powers, 

 two functions requisite in every first-class meat-producing ani- 

 mal ; width between the fore-legs, and large girth immediately 

 behind them, denote room for large and active lungs, the very 

 foundation of any animal. Ribs that are long and well sprung 

 outward from the back show capacity of stomach. The broad 

 loin and well developed ham are signs of active kidneys. A 

 clean, fine, and elastic skin, covered with soft lively hair, and 



