26 



SWI>lE GEORGE E. DAY. 



Legs. Common defects in the legs are coarseness of bone, 

 weak pasterns, crooked knees, and unduly bent hocks. The 

 legs of the fat hog are shorter and the bone finer than in the 

 bacon hog, but clean cut bone, and straightness and strength 

 of legs and pasterns are equally important in both classes. 



Back. A sagging back is an indication of weakness. A 

 back which rises very slightly above the straight line is 

 stronger and usually more heavily muscled than a perfecth- 

 straight one, though a high arch in the back is even more 

 objectionable than a depression. The back should be the 

 same width as the shoulder, and should be uniform in width, 

 and deeply covered with flesh throughout. 



Loin. This is a valuable cut, and should be broad, full, 

 and thickly covered. A low loin, or one which is unduly 

 arched, or which is high in the center and falls away to each 

 side, is extremely objectionable. 



Ribs. The rib of the fat hog makes a more circular arch 

 than that of the bacon hog. The rib should be long, and 

 should spring in such a way as to not merely give the animal 

 width on top, but also good thickness through the lower part 

 of the body. 



Side. Though length of side is not emphasized in the fat 

 hog to the extent that it is in the bacon hog, it is desirable 

 for the hog to have good length, provided that depth and 

 thickness of body are maintained. The side should come 

 out even with the shoulder and ham, and should be deep 

 and smooth. 



Heart Girth. Large heart girth indicates constitution. 

 There should be no depression back of the top or side of the 

 shoulder, and the animal should be thick and well let down at 

 the fore flanks. A tucked-up appearance back of the fore 

 legs is very objectionable. 



Flank. A deep flank is associated with good depth of 

 body and fullness of flank denotes thick, fleshy belly meat. 



Rump. While the rump rounds slightly from the back of 

 the loin to the tail, it should not have a steep slope, because 



