JUDGING FAT HOGS 149 



be ^thickly and evenly fleshed. It is not uncommon 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 shoul- 

 der 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 noticed 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 grad- 

 ually to the tail, it usually carries more flesh and is con- 

 sidered 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. 

 The most common defect is a marked drooping in this 



