JUDGING FAT HOGS 149 



should be thickly and evenly fleshed. It is not uncom- 

 mon to notice creases just behind the shoulders and at 

 different points between the shoulders and the hips. This 

 is an indication of uneven fattening with a poor quality 

 of flesh and is consequently objectionable. From the 

 shoulder to the ham in the fat hog there should be that 

 evenness of line which would permit the laying of a 

 straight edge along the sides from one of these points to 

 the other and no deviation from the edge should be no- 

 ticed at any point. Usually the development of the 

 shoulders or the hams is as much greater as to leave a 

 marked depression behind the shoulder and forward of 

 the ham. 



198. Back Straight, Broad, Evenly Covered With 

 Flesh. Looking at the back from the side the top 

 line should be straight, though if it rises gradually from 

 the neck to the center of the back and there slopes very 

 gradually to the tail, it usually carries more flesh and is 

 considered a stronger and better back. There certainly 

 should be no depression from shoulder to tail in the back 

 of the hog that is in fat condition. Viewing the back 

 from above it should appear broad and the two lines that 

 bound it on each side should be carried straight from the 

 upper sides of the shoulder to the hips. In addition, the 

 back should be evenly and thickly fleshed. Any tendency 

 towards what is called a fish back, in which the center 

 rises very sharply, is undesirable. 



199. Loin Wide, Thick. The width of the loin 

 should be such as to sustain the width of the back. In 

 addition to being wide it must be straight and thickly 

 fleshed to fill out the lines properly. Another part of the 

 body that should receive some consideration is the belly. 

 The underline should run parallel with the top line; that 

 is, the belly should be equally as straight as the back. 



