SWINE. ]2.S9 



our export trade, as thej produce a long side and a large proportion of 

 lean to fat. They are reasonably hardy and very prolific. They are 

 exceptionally valuable for crossing on the fatter types of hogs, giving 

 to the progeny greater length and less tendency to excessive fatness. 

 They are, perhaps, better adapted to pen feeding than to grazing, and 

 they will stand forcing without becoming overfat. 



Judging Yorkshires. — Yorkshires vary considerably in type and gen- 

 eral qualities, and some of these types are very objectionable. The 

 more old-fashioned strains frequently possessed extremely short, 

 turned-up snouts, with the lower jaw often extending beyond the upper. 

 While many good hogs possess this peculiarity, it is too commonly 

 associated with very undesirable qualities to deserve popularity. Ani- 

 mals with this formation of snout often have a heavy jowl, neck, and 

 shoulder, a short side, and a general lack of quality. Even though the 

 animal may not possess these undesirable qualities in itself, there is a 

 strong probability of their cropping out in many of the progeny. Then 

 there is another extreme: the long, scrawny neck; narrow back; rough, 

 bony shoulder; long, coarse-boned, puffy legs, and bristly coat. This 

 type should be avoided as one would avoid the plague. It may have 

 length, but is not a bacon hog. It lacks quality, which is essential to 

 the bacon hog; and it is a hard feeder, which the bacon hog is not. 



In the description which accompanies the scale of points, an attempt 

 has been made to give an idea of what the Large Yorkshire should be. 

 In judging, however, due allowance must be made for masculinity in 

 the boar; and, provided he is right in other respects, a slight promi- 

 nence of the side of the shoulder may be overlooked. The neck, also, 

 is more heavily muscled than would be desired in a barrow, and it is 

 possible to have the boar too fine in bone. It is a great mistake, how- 

 ever, to go to the other extreme and imagine that general coarseness 

 and lack of quality, or a frame loaded with fat, indicates constitution. 

 There should be activity, strength, and vigor without coarseness; 

 smoothness and quality without overrefinement; length without weak- 

 ness; substance and apparent thrift without obesity. 



In judging of the length of the hog, it is not enough that it should 

 be long from snout to tail. The most valuable part of the carcase lies 

 back of the shoulder, and care must be exercised in noting the length 

 between shoulder and ham. What appears at first sight to be a long 

 animal will sometimes be found wanting in length of side, the shoulder 

 extending far back and encroaching upon the side. This formation 

 gives a carcase which is heavy at the cheap end. It is possible, how- 

 ever, to run to extremes in this connection also, for there is a limit to 

 the lenfijth of middle which an animal may safely carry, and it is possible 



