THE VALUE OF A THOROUGH-BRED PIG. 35 



the digestive organs ; and it is best, in raising pigs for the 

 butchers, to breed from large, healthy, vigorous sows, and 

 a thorough-bred highly refined boar of a small breed. 

 Such a cross will furnish grades that will eat more and 

 fatten more rapidly than the thorough-breds. 



To cross thorough-breds is absurd. There is nothing to 

 be gained by it that cannot be obtained by breeding from 

 common or grade sows with a thorough-bred boar ; be- 

 sides thorough-breds are always more costly than common 

 stock or grades. That a cross, for instance, between a 

 thorough-bred, highly refined Essex boar and a thorough- 

 bred Berkshire sow would afford healthier, hardier, and 

 more profitable pigs for the butcher than either thorough- 

 bred Essex or thorough-bred Berkshires, may be true. 

 It is not an easy matter to maintain the health and high 

 character of any of our improved breeds. In-and-in- 

 breeding, especially with pigs, leads to degeneracy ; and 

 all pig breeders find it necessary to introduce a new strain 

 of blood, either from animals bred distinct on their own 

 farm, or, what is considered better, from the same breed 

 kept in another section of country. By judicious selection, 

 in this way, the breed can be maintained or improved. 

 For the same reason, a cross between two distinct breeds, 

 may give a litter of pigs better than either of the parents. 

 But this is not only an expensive way of raising pigs for 

 the butcher, but equally good, if not better pigs can be ob- 

 tained by using a thorough-bred boar on grade, or common 

 sows, selected with judgment. 



CHAPTER VI. 



THE VALUE OF A THOROUGH-BRED PIG. 



It cannot be denied that many farmers in the United 

 States have purchased thorough-bred pigs, and after keep- 

 ing them a few years, have given them up in disgust. One 



