10 HARRIS OX TEIE PIG. 



which are adapted to grow rapidly, and mature early, on 

 liberal feeding. But of course such a breed can only be 

 profitable where the food costs little or nothing and 

 even in this case it may well be questioned whether a 

 breed that eats more and gains faster would not be more 

 profitable. All that we wish to show is, that no matter 

 what the object of the breeder is, he can attain it. He 

 can raise a breed adapted to any system of feeding and 

 management he desires to adopt. In point of fact, the 

 pigs will adapt themselves, sooner or later, to the supply 

 of food and the means necessary for them to use, in order 

 to obtain it. The breeder can, by selection, greatly acceler- 

 ate the change, but the main cause is the food and treat- 

 ment. In this sense the " breed goes in at the mouth." 



If a farmer wishes a breed of pigs that will grow with 

 great rapidity and fatten early, he cannot attain his object 

 without liberal feeding. If he will furnish this for sev- 

 eral generations and at the same time provide warm and 

 comfortable quarters, and never suffer the pigs to be 

 harshly treated or neglected, he will do much to secure 

 his object. Selection will do the rest. It is generally 

 supposed that the success of the breeder depends mainly 

 on his ability to select a boar having those points fully 

 developed in which his sows are most deficient ; and 

 doubtless this requires much skill and nice discrimi- 

 nation. But we are satisfied that the cause of failure 

 is generally owing to inconstant or illiberal feeding. 

 The breeder must love his animals, and must give them 

 his constant personal attention. A few weeks' neglect, 

 starving at one season and surfeiting at another, harsh 

 treatment, and damp, dirty pens, will counteract all the 

 advantage derived from months of good management. 



Nature protects herself. The offspring of animals lia- 

 ble to such occasional neglect will, so to speak, expect such 

 treatment, and even if they themselves have liberal and 



