41 6 SWINE. 



pig with no constitution or one that is unprolific. How many breeders 

 in the effort to shorten the snout of their swine have ruined their strength 

 and vigor ? Many more in their haste to broaden the back have very 

 materially shortened the heart girth, and in their effort to make their 

 legs small have made them weak and crooked. Poland-China breeders 

 of the west have a nice-looking, growthy pig; but, as a breeder of them 

 in central New York told me, his litters were from four to seven, 

 and small litters is the complaint of the west. There is also among them 

 a tendency to weak legs. Berkshires have been bred for fineness of 

 bone until they became too small, although in the last few years there 

 has been a great improvement in them. The Chester-Whites have been 

 bred for size until they are made up of masses of fat, to which the 

 butchers object. The Cheshires are a prolific and active breed, but are 

 rather too restless and, also, quite narrow on the back. The Duroc- 

 Jerseys are not as smoothly made as the Berkshire or Poland China, hut 

 in prolificness and quickness of growth will exceed either of them. Either 

 of these, that is the Duroc- Jersey, Berkshires or Poland-Chinas, I would 

 recommend to the farmer to use on ordinary sows, choosing the one 

 which will suit his fancy best. In choosing a male from these breeds 

 select one that has a snout of medium length, a slight dished face, good 

 size heart girth (be careful that there is not much depression back 

 of the shoulders), good length and breadth of back, a good wide space 

 between the front legs with a deep body and good square hams; also 

 have the flank well down and a set of short, stout and straight legs. 

 The skin should not be thick and wrinkly, but thin and smooth with 

 soft bristles not too thickly set. This kind of a pig can be found better 

 at some reliable breeders, as he and others before him, have been work- 

 ing for years to get this type of a pig, and are, therefore, better prepared 

 to furnish the desired article. But by all means use a thoroughbred 

 sire and on his offspring use another one, thereby raising the quality of 

 your breeding stock. Be sure to start right in this direction so that your 

 feed and care in the future will produce the best results. 



Having selected your breeding stock, the next thing is the keeping of 

 them. There has been a mistaken idea that breeding swine to do well 

 must be fed only enough to keep them just alive. Now, we know all 

 other breeding stock should be kept in good condition, and swine form 

 no exception. When mated, both the sire and the dam should be in the 

 pink of condition to produce strong and healthy pigs, and during the 

 period of gestation the dam should be well fed on a variety of foods so 



