160 THE HOG. 



should be slender ; the hams should be round, full and well deve- 

 loped ; the limbs, fine-boned, with clean small joints ; and with small 

 compact hoofs, set closely together, with a straight bearing upon the 

 ground. If in perfect health, young store hogs, or young stock se- 

 lected for breeding, will be lively, animated, hold up the head, and 

 move freely and nimbly. 



"Bristles. These should be fine and scanty, so as to show the skin 

 smooth and glossy ; coarse, wiry, rough bristles usually accompany 

 heavy bones, large spreading hoofs, and flapping ears, and thus be- 

 come one of the indications of a thick skinned and low breed. 



" Color. Different breeds of high excellence have their own co- 

 lors : white, black, parti-coloured, black and white, sandy, mottled 

 with large marks of black, are the most prevalent. A- black skin, 

 with short scanty bristles, and small stature, demonstrate the preva- 

 lence of the Neapolitan strain, or the black Chinese, or perhaps an 

 admixture of both. Many prefer white ; and in sucking pigs des- 

 tined for the table, and for porkers, this color has its advantages, 

 and the skin looks more attractive ; nevertheless, we think that the 

 skin of black hogs is in general thinner than that of white hogs, and 

 less subject to eruptive diseases." MARTIN. 



TREATMENT OF SOWS DURING PREGNANCY. 



Sows with pig should be well and judiciously fed ; that is to say, 

 they should have a sufficiency of wholesome nutritious food to main- 

 tain their strength and keep them in good condition, but should by 

 no means be allowed to get fat, as when they are in high condition 

 the dangers of parturition are enhanced, the animal is more awkward 

 and liable to smother or crush her young, and besides, never has as 

 much or as good milk as a leaner sow. She should also have a 

 separate sty : for swine are prone to lie so close together, that if she 

 were amongst others her young would be in great danger ; and this 

 sty should be perfectly clean and comfortably littered, but not so 

 thickly as to admit of the young being able to bury themselves in 

 the straw. 



As the time of her farrowing approaches she should be well sup- 

 plied with food, especially if she be a young sow, and this is her 

 first litter, and also carefully watched in order to prevent her from 

 devouring the after-birth, and thus engendering a morbid appetite 

 which will next lead her to fall upon her own young. A sow that 

 has once done this is never afterwards to be depended upon. Hunger, 

 thirst, or irritation of any kind, will often induce this unnatural con- 

 duct ; and this is another reason why a sow about to farrow should 

 have a sty to herself, and be carefully attended to, and have all her 

 wants supplied. 



