184 A YEAR IN AGRICULTURE 



Selecting the stock. The farmer who wishes to raise hogs 

 should make the start with a few first-class animals. It is 

 better to purchase one first-class brood sow than several 

 mediocre ones for the same money. The same is true of the 

 boar. He should be a pure-bred animal of the type selected. 

 The following are some characteristics of a good breeding 

 sow: the forehead should be broad and the eyes wide apart; 

 the neck rather thin; the shoulders smooth and deep; the 

 back wide and straight; the chest deep and broad; the ribs 

 well sprung; and a long body showing capacity from end to 

 end. She should stand on straight legs and well up on the 

 toes. She should be selected from a prolific strain and be a 

 creditable representative of the breed. A good boar should 

 have a masculine head and well-crested neck, and the same 

 indications of a good pork-producing body as described for 

 a good sow. 



BREEDS OF SWINE 



Various tests in feeding swine have demonstrated that no 

 one breed is superior to all others in ability to make cheap 

 gains. A healthy, thrifty hog will make economical gains no 

 matter what breed it represents. The various breeds have 

 their peculiar excellencies, and it becomes a matter of per- 

 sonal choice in determining what breed to raise. It is advis- 

 able for best commercial interests, however, for a community 

 to confine its swine production to the same one or two breeds. 



The Berkshire. The Berkshire is an attractive animal, 

 rather above medium size and belongs to the lard-type. The 



