SMALL HOLDINGS 163 



pig which will grow into the sow which he 

 desires to use, and in due course it is supplied. 

 Owing to his inexperience with the breed, 

 he fails to recognise its inferiority, until, 

 having arrived at maturity, he is disappointed 

 at its size and general character; he has 

 been supplied, in fact, v/ith an inferior pig. 

 However large and perfect a breeding sow 

 may be, she invariably produces some inferior 

 pigs. Breeders with a large demand for 

 stock pigs are induced to sell these specimens, 

 which in their turn produce litters, and 

 gradually both size and character are dimin- 

 ished in value until the pigs are merely 

 Large Whites in name ; they have lost 

 their distinguishing points by careless breed- 

 ing. There can be no doubt that in the 

 great majority of litters of pigs of pure 

 varieties at least one half should be fed 

 for the butcher as being unfit for breeding 

 purposes. 



What applies to the Large White applies 

 equally to the Large Black and to the curly- 

 coated pig of Lincolnshire. All these breeds 

 are of large size; good specimens attain great 

 weights and grow v/ith rapidity, but only 

 good specimens. If the small holder is able 

 to obtain a really fine sow of either variety, 



