JUDGING THE LARD TYPE OF SWINE 



501 



forced or are too fat, the fat will show as much in the 

 back and loin as elsewhere. 



The sides of the hog should be of good depth, dropping 

 down from a well arched rib. The form of the side de- 

 pends somewhat on the breed or breed influence, for in some 

 cases the sides are rather curved from the ribs down, while 

 with others they are flat and drop quite vertically toward 

 the belly line. In 

 general it is desira- 

 ble to have the 

 sides of fair length, 

 carried out in a 

 straight line from 

 shoulder to hip, so 

 that a straight edge 

 will touch all along 

 or nearly so. 

 Smoothness and 

 freedom from 

 creases applies here 

 as elsewhere, and 

 the smoother the 

 side the more uni- 

 form the quality of 



the fleshing. Creases often extend in vertical lines 

 along the sides, especially toward the shoulder and give 

 a rough appearance as well as indicating poor fatten- 

 ing character. A side long and deep, perfectly smooth, 

 showing a clean, healthy skin, covered not too thickly with 

 straight hair of fine quality, should score very high. The 

 belly proper may be regarded as the part of the body lying 

 between two lines extending from the lower part of each 

 front flank to hind flank. As one stands off and looks at 

 the belly, the lower edge carries quite level, with clean- 

 cut lines, indicating little waste in killing. A paunchy, 

 rounded belly is much objected to by discriminating buyers, 

 as bearing evidence of too much intestines and consequent 



Fig. 277. "It is desirable to have the sides 

 of fair length, carried out in a straight line 

 from shoulder to hip, so that a straight edge. 

 will touch all along, or nearly so." 



