A MANUAL ON THE HOG. 53 



good length, well-arched ribs, long belly, and should have 

 not less than ten or twelve teats, and descended from pro- 

 lific stock. A short, compact sow will neither bring such 

 large litters, or afford as much milk as a long one. In the 

 former, the tendency will be to convert the food consumed 

 into fat, rather than into milk. The pure bred boar will 

 correct any tendency to coarseness in the offspring, while 

 the large sow will give constitution, and hardiness, adapted 

 to our wants. 



Sows, intended for breeders, should be well-fed from 

 birth, and kept in as thrifty growing condition as is con- 

 sistent with health. They should not be allowed to become 

 either excessively fat, or very poor, either extreme being 

 liable to cause disease. 



Neither boars, nor sows that have been seriously diseased, 

 should be bred from, as organic defects will be transmitted 

 to the pigs. 



Sows should not be admitted to the boar until they are 

 nine months old, so that they will be more than twelve 

 months old before giving birth to offspring. If bred earlier 

 their size and form will be impaired, there will be a tend- 

 to a general reduction of the size of the stock, and, if per- 

 sisted in, it will weaken the constitution. Sows that have 

 less than eight pigs, at a litter, should be rejected, and con- 

 verted into pork. Before young sows farrow they should 

 be made thoroughly gentle, in order that proper attention 

 may be given them at farrowing time, without causing undue 

 excitement. If not gentle, and accustomed to the presence 

 of the herdsman, the attempt to bestow any assistance, or 

 necessary attention, may so excite as to cause them to tram- 

 ple, and even to eat their pigs. Sows, from two to five years 

 of age, usually produce the most vigorous pigs, 



Pigs should come in March and September, and hence 

 the sows should be admitted to the boar from the 1st to the 

 10th of December, for the spring litter, and, again, by the 

 of May for the fall litter. 



