296 Animal Husbandry 
boar is used. On the other hand, if breeding hogs are to be pro- 
duced, pure-bred animals only can be grown with profit. This 
calls for much knowledge of the principles of breeding, such as 
selection, mating, and the like. Another question that will modify 
the plan is the amount of capital available for the establishment 
of the business. When the capital is small and the experience 
wanting, the grade herd is to be preferred. The beginner may well 
start with not more than two or three sows, in pig when purchased, 
as he can acquire much valuable experience with even so small a 
number, while his risk will not be great The second year he may 
add to the number of sows, secure a suitable and pure-bred boar, 
and each succeeding year carefully increase the number of sows 
bred. In this way, one.should soon find himself in possession of 
a large herd, and of sufficient knowledge to put it to profitable use. 
479. Coéperative breeding. — Pure-bred boars are likely to be 
costly, and to be profitable they should be kept in constant use. 
Since the average farmer does not possess sows enough to get 
the maximum use of the boar, it is often a good plan for a 
number of farmers to coéperate in the purchase of a boar. Such 
coéperation not only reduces the cost of service, but aids in in- 
creasing the uniformity of the animals in a locality. Furthermore, 
when a number of farmers coéperate in the purchase of a hog, a 
much better animal can be secured than if each purchases on his 
own account. 
480. Selecting breeding stock.— Many practical questions 
enter into the selection of swine for breeding purposes. As a 
general rule, the animals chosen should be rather large for the 
breed to which they belong. In the past few years there has been 
a tendency to reduce the size of market hogs, and this has extended 
to the brood sows, with the result that many of the sows now used 
for breeding are decidedly too small for the farrowing and raising 
of two large and strong litters of pigs each year. Probably the 
greatest fault of improved swine breeding is the striving for too 
great refinement. If large litters of strong pigs are to result, the 
