Poland-China sow, a winner of many prizes at state fairs, owned by 

 Messrs. Risk & Gabbert, Weston, Missouri. This sow shows very 

 smooth and is especially thickly fleshed over shoulder, back and ham, 

 the valuable cuts of the fat hog type. Though heavy, note how erect 

 she stands on her pasterns. 



DESCRIPTION OF THE POLAND-CHINA SWINE. 



THIS AMERICAN breed of swine originated in the Miami Valley of the 

 Ohio during the years intervening between 1825 to 1840. It had for 

 its ancestry a large coarse hog that was broken in color, being mostly white 

 and black. The improvement of the last 40 years has resulted in producing 

 an exceedingly symmetrical hog with early maturing qualities which has 

 been added to further by disposition very favorable to quick fattening. The 

 modern type shows unusual fullness which makes the width of the body 

 remarkable though giving the appearance of undue shortness. With it all 

 there is a quality of hair, bone and skin which contributes in a great degree 

 to the percentage of meat from the carcass. The color is black with a. few 

 white markings, these consisting preferably of a splash on the face, four 

 white feet and white on tip of the tail. The coat of hair should be thick, 

 fine and free from swirls or spots around which the hair seems to twist. The 

 head is small, slightly dished and runs to a fine snout. The ear starts 

 strong and straight from the head but breaks and drops about one-third its 

 length. The shoulder is well covered on top, the girth full, ribs well 

 sprung, deep; hind quarter very full with deep ham. The desirability of 

 plumpness in all parts should not lead to undue shortness of body nor lack 

 of length in the hind quarters. Straightness in the latter is also desirable 

 as frequently the drop from the hip to the tail is quite marked. The legs 

 should be straight and strong and the pasterns set so as to make the hog 

 appear to be standing on 'the very tip of its toes. See official scale of 

 points, page 161. 



