state Convention—swine. 
3 l 7 
uses him with poor success, forgetting that deteoriation is strong 
in the old scrub stock when in the ascendency, thus proving the 
progeny of a common stock. These bear a close resemblance to 
their parents and to each other in general appearance, length of limb, 
shape of carcass, peculiarities of color, disposition, habit and dis¬ 
eases, and here we see the great natural law, that like produces like, 
is as applicable to faulty and disproportioned, as to beautiful and 
symmetrical, to disease and debility, as to healthy and vigorous 
constitution, and clearly establishing the hereditary tendency for 
good or bad qualities in the offspring, and I might add, it is doubly 
severe when both parents are affected. * The science of breeding 
is so perfect and the rules so well established, by adhering strictly 
to current laws or principles of breeding, it i9 comparatively an 
easy matter to establish an improved breed. In breeding, there¬ 
fore, the most important rule is to breed only from the best, not 
merely the best looking, or the animal that fills the eye most com¬ 
pletely, but from one that has the capacity of transmitting his 
given qualities in the highest degree to his progeny. The best 
evidence of this is the knowledge of his ancestors for several 
generations, unless some of his stock can be seen by an exper¬ 
ienced breeder and a good judge of stock. A sure sign of pure 
breeding, is a litter of pigs all alike, or take three sows of one 
litter, use one sire/ the three litters of pigs being alike is a proof 
sheet. 
My experience and observation for the last twenty-five years in 
breeding has fully proven to me that the few rules and thoughts 
advanced here are correct, and if you will use only those breeds 
which have steadily been bred in a line resulting in the establish¬ 
ment of a fixed type, capable of transmitting itself with uniform¬ 
ity, using the care necessary in breeding, you will soon establish 
a breed of marked superiority. By breeding in this way you 
cannot make a mistake. The success in breeding proves that if 
the same sagacity and business talent that is applicable to the 
commonest mercantile transaction, be devoted to a thorough and 
complete system of breeding, ample reward would be the certain 
results. 
This brings us to the most important part of our subject, that 
of growing the stock. The subject of feeding is of great import- 
