CHAPTER EIGHT. 



SELECTING BROOD SOWS. 



When the breeder or farmer lays the foundation of a herd 

 of brood sows it is very necessary that he first make np 

 his mind what breed of swine he wishes to commence with. 

 I am not recommending any particular breed. There are 

 a nnmber of standard breeds and they are all good, es- 

 pecially five or six of them. Looking over those known as 

 the lard breeds, one cannot go wrong by selecting any of 

 the following named in alphabetical order : 



Berkshires 



Chester Whites 



Dnroc-Jerseys 



Hampshires 



Poland-Chinas 

 There are also quite a number of Cheshires and Victorias 

 used ia the far eastern states, probably more of them in 

 New York than any other State, and they are a very sat- 

 isfactory breed. 



Among the breeds known as bacon breeds, are the fol- 

 lowing : 



Large Yorkshires 



Tamworths 

 Further than these there are several small breeds, used 

 locally, such as Essex, Small Yorkshires and Suffolks ; the 

 latter three breeds are used little in the western States. 



After deciding on one of the above breeds for a founda- 

 tion herd it will be best for one entering the business to 

 post himself as well as possible regarding the character- 

 istics of that particular breed, and it is my opinion that 

 other things being equal, it is better for a man to produce 

 only one breed and that should be the one he thinks he 

 would like best. He should never attempt to raise a breed 

 of hogs he does not like, either pure-breds or for pork 



