192 HARRIS ON THE PIG. 



live weight, 59 3 1 4 . The sheep were Cotswolds, Leicesters, 

 Hampshire and Sussex Downs. 



The mean fasted live weight of 16 heifers and steers, 

 killed and slaughtered at Rothamstead, was 1,141 Ibs. ; 

 Carcass, 680 3 1 4 Ibs. ; Per centage of carcass to live weight, 

 59.31. In other words 



A moderately fat heifer or steer will dress 59}^ per cent. 



A moderately fat mutton sheep will dress 59% " " 



A moderately fat pig will dress 82^ " " 



The lightest of Mr. Lawes' lialf-fattened and fattened 

 pigs dressed a little less than 74 per cent, and the heavi- 

 est over 87 3 | 4 per cent. 



CHAPTER XXI. 



BREEDING AND REARING PIGS. 



The point of first importance in breeding pigs is the 

 selection of the boar. In raising thorough-bred pigs, of 

 course we must have a boar of the same breed as the sow. 

 This remark may seem superfluous, but we have met with 

 ordinarily intelligent men who thought that a boar, de- 

 scended from a thorough-bred Cheshire sow, got by a 

 thorough-bred Chester White boar, was thorough-bred. 

 And we have known a farmer who put a Chester White 

 sow to an Essex boar, speak of all the white pigs in the 

 litter as Chester Whites, and all the black ones as Essex. 

 Thorough-breds must be descended from thorough-breds, 

 and both parents must be of the same breed. 



But in raising pigs for the butcher, we are not confined 

 to any particular breed. Our selection of the boar must 

 be made in reference to whether the pigs are to be fatted 

 and sold at a few months old for fresh pork, or whether 



