1 Ocr., 1902.] QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 229 
even if she be received as a wedding present. She has far too many points. 
There are certain points about a pig just as there are about any other animal, 
by which his good or bad qualities may be gauged. What are the good points 
of a pig ? 
Neat in the head, which means a nose neither too long nor too short. 
A nice, shapely, keen-looking face with bright, mild eyes, broad forehead, 
and a good-tempered appearance. 
Ears, soft and pliable. When they fall a little to the front without 
absolutely being lopped the point is good. 
Light neck and shoulders for the coarser parts of aside of bacon, and those 
which fetch the lowest price are the neck and shoulders, and the lighter those 
parts the better the side, and the higher price they will make. 
Deep in the ribs.—Looking at this point from the bacon-curer’s point of 
view, a pig that is deep and round in the ribs will of necessity produce a larger 
proportion of first-class bacon. 
Thick in the loin.—A. pig with heavy loin has capacity for food, together 
with good digestion, and strong constitution generally. The loin is high- 
priced and the weight of that should be kept up. 
Stout in the thighs—The hams are most important, and, in the case of 
pigs killed for the ham and middle (flitch) trade, the most valuable of all. 
Long silky hair indicates strength of constitution as well as lean meat. 
Such are the points which indicate a happy union between thriftiness and 
lean meat—a union which suits both the curer and the producer. 
The object in breeding pigs is to raise such animals as will produce the 
meat required by the manutacturer. Consequently it is necessary that you 
should have a clear idea of the class of meat which will supply the requisite 
features. ' 
In all parts of the world, and also in this State, the demand is only for 
lean, medium-sized bacon. By lean bacon is meant that a large amount of 
lean, streaky meat must predominate. To attain this end you must be especi- 
ally careful as to the breed of pigs you start with. 
Some people, especially in the southern States, prefer the Tamworth 
breed, ‘This breed shows some angularity of formation rather than blockiness. 
It has a prominent backbone and well-developed vertebrae. It possesses all 
the requisites for a good dairy breed of swine. A decided improvement is to 
cross it with the Berkshire. 
The pig to be most recommended, however, is the improved Berkshire. 
The medium Berkshire, properly fed, will, at seven months old, produce the 
best description of bacon for the market. If you do not keep a pure breed, 
let it be as nearly pure as possible. Take care that the boar is pure. The 
sows may have a touch of another strain without detriment. As to the weight 
of the proper marketable Berkshire at seven months, it should turn the scale 
at about 12 stone (168 lb.) dead weight. The live weight would be between 
15 and 16 stone. Feeding properly is everything in the case of the bacon pig. 
Don’t take the Irishman’s plan to -produce streaky bacon. He starved it one 
