THE BREEDING AND CARE OF HOQS. 



967 



them every aay even in the best farming regions, among that class -"vho 

 have "no luck" in raising "critters." Why should they? They are de- 

 generating, themselves, every day in the effort to get "something for 

 nothing," or else for less than its value. 



VI. The Care of Breeding Stock. 



In a general way the same principles laid down for the care of other 



farm stock will apply to swine. There is one thing of special importance, 



however, in l)rccding swine, that must not he overlooked. That is the 



care that must be taken in not breeding too closely in-and-in. We have 



lUOKKSIilKK 



shown in another part of this work that the tendency of this close breed- 

 ing is to render the constitution delicate, and hence the vigor of the ani- 

 mal must suffer. Swine are especially susceptible to scrofula and other 

 blood diseases, and also to inflammatory diseases. In-and-in breeding is 

 apt to exaggerate these constitutional disabilities. For this reason special 

 care must be taken, not only in the breeding, but in selecting for breed- 

 ing purposes only those that show superior constitutional vigor. If you 

 see a pig in a litter free from cough, that is superior in growth, and shows 

 great constitutional vigor, save him or her by all means, for further 

 examination. Save all such, and you will soon have stock superior to that 

 oiigiuaily bought ; for the breeder of pure stock sells all indiscriminately, 



