152 THE HOG. 



long flapping ears ; this is the case especially in several of our 

 western counties, but experience seems to demonstrate that those 

 animals are best which have short, fine, erect ears. The boar should 

 always be vigorous and masculine in appearance. 



That quaint old writer Lisle in his " Husbandrie," gives the follow- 

 ing advice on this subject advice more suited to swine " as they 

 were," than to the improved breeds which are now so generally re- 

 placing the heavy old races, but still worthy of some degree of at- 

 tention : 



" In all kinds of four-footed beasts, the shape and form of the 

 male is chosen with great care, because the progeny is frequently 

 more like the father than the mother ; wherefore, in swine-cattle also, 

 certain of them must be approved, which are choice and singular for 

 the largeness of their whole body, and such as are rather square 

 (than those that are long and round), with a hanging-down belly, 

 vast buttocks, but not so long legs and hoofs, of a large and glandu- 

 lous neck, with short snouts, and turned upwards ; and especially, 

 which is more to the purpose, the males must be exceedingly sala- 

 cious, and such as are proper for gendering from the age of one year 

 till they come to their fourth year ; nevertheless, they can also im- 

 pregnate the female when they are six months old. Sows of the 

 longest size and make are approved, provided they be, in the rest of 

 their members, like the boars which have been already described. 



" If the country is cold, and liable to hoar-frost, the herd must be 

 chosen of an exceeding hard, thick, and black bristle. If it be 

 temperate, and lie exposed to the sun, the cattle that is smooth and 

 has no bristles, or even that which is white, and proper for the mill 

 and the bakehouse, may be fed." 



But although the chief care must be bestowed on the selection of 

 the male animal, we must not be led to imagine that the female may 

 be chosen at random. One of good form and breed, free from con- 

 stitutional defects, and from disease of any kind ; not addicted to 

 vice, and especially not to feeding on flesh or carrion, or destroying 

 rabbits, or poultry, should be chosen. Also those which produce the 

 finest and most numerous progeny should be kept for breeding, es- 

 pecially if at the same time they are good nurses ; and the com- 

 paratively barren animals spayed and fattened. Sows that have 

 very low bellies almost touching the ground, seldom produce large 

 or fine litters. A good-sized sow is generally considered more likely 

 to prove a good breeder and nurse, and to farrow more easily and 

 safely, than a small delicate animal. Few of our domesticated 

 animals suffer so much from being bred in-and-in as swine. Where 

 this system is pursued, the number of young ones is decreased at 

 every litter, until the sows become, in a manner, barren. As soon as 

 the slightest tendency to this degeneracy is observed, the breed 

 should be crossed from time to time, keeping sight, however, whhV 



