372 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



destined to conceive her first progeny, for that male stamps a 

 character upon every subsequent produce (whether for good 

 or bad) by other males ; " The subsequent progeny of the 

 mother will always partake more or less of the character of 

 the father of the first ofi'spring." This law is mysterious, but 

 it has been abundantly proved, (see Giles, in Philosophical 

 Transactions for 1821,) and need not be here further insisted 

 on ; the fact is established. The selection of the male, then, 

 is of primary importance ; of whatever breed he may Ibe, he 

 should be as perfect as possible in the good qualities of his 

 race j he should be free from all blemishes, and be, moreover, 

 the offspring of parents in all points unexceptionable. A 

 young boar, intended for breeding from, should be kept sepa- 

 rate from the sows until about a year old, when his physical 

 energies will be fairly developed. Form is of more importance 

 than size ; in this latter respect the breeds differ, as they do, 

 also, in the size of the ears, which in some breeds are flapping, 

 especially in those which incline to the old stock. Good pigs, 

 it is true, may show such ears, but small, sharp, erect ears 

 accompany what may be called blood. In a well-formed boar 

 the barrels should be rather long and cylindrical, the limbs 

 should be small in the bone, the hoofs neat and compact, the 

 skin should be rather loose and mellow, with the bristles fine 

 but scanty ; the snout should be short and sharp, the forehead 

 rise boldly between the ears, and merge into an arched neck ; 

 the back should be straight and broad; the hams rounded 

 and ample ; the chest should be wide, indicative of the ampli- 

 tude and vigor of the vital organs ; the tail should be slender, 

 the eyes should be lively, the temper or disposition cheerful, 

 without moroseness. As to color, some breeds are black, 

 others are white ; but we think that black pigs are thinner in 

 the skin, and are, moreover, less subject to cutaneous aflections. 

 "Equal care should be taken in the selection of a breeding 

 sow as of a boar ; she should be of good stature and form, 

 sound, healthy, and free from defects ; she should have twelve 

 teats, at least ; for, as may be observed, each little pig selects 

 its own teat, and keeps to it, so that a pig not having one 

 belonging to it would in all probability be starved. A sow 

 not pregnant, whose belly hangs low, almost touching the 



