32 HAEEIS ON THE PIG. 



attainment of weight ; look to the mother for nursing, 

 and the father to correct coarseness of form in the mother." 



In other words, aim to get the digestive powers of the 

 large breed in the body of a small, highly refined pig. 

 Increase the supply of food and lessen the demand upon 

 it for everything except the formation of flesh and fat. 



It will be found that, consciously or unconsciously, all 

 the eminently successful pig feeders have aimed to attain 

 this result. 



The question of Large vs. Small Breeds, therefore, can 

 only be answered by taking these objects into considera- 

 tion. We need both breeds. The large breed to give us 

 sows, and the small breed to give us boars. It is a mis- 

 take to refine and reduce the size of the large breed, and 

 then to breed from these " improved " pigs of the large 

 breed. To produce pigs merely for the butcher, we should 

 resort to crosses with a large, vigorous, unpampered sow 

 put to the finest, thorough-bred boar of the small breeds 

 that can be obtained. The larger the sow and the smaller 

 the boar, the more will the little pigs be able to eat in pro- 

 portion to their size, and the greater will be their growth 

 in proportion to the food consumed. 



Mr. John Coate, a breeder of " Improved Dorsets," who 

 took the Gold Medal, five years in succession, at the Smith- 

 field Club Show, for the best pair of pigs, says : 



" Crosses answer well for profit to the dairyman, as you 

 get more constitution and quicker growth." 



One of the most extensive farmers in West Norfolk 

 writes to Mr. Sidney : " The cross between the Berks boar 

 and Norfolk sow (white), like all cross breeds, is most 

 profitable to the feeder, but we must have pure breeds 

 first." And Mr. S. adds : " This Norfolk opinion is con- 

 firmed by all my correspondents. The Berkshire pig is 

 in favor in every dairy district, either pure or as a cross, 

 but chiefly as a cross." 



Again, the same author says : " The Improved Essex is 



