Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1881-12-15
Make Sure of a Good Boar.

From tis breeders 0aD,,l~
All things considered, from the lst
TO the goth of December is the best
time in the year for the pork raiser
20 breed his sows, as that time is at
hand, it becomes those who mean
business, and conduct their opera
tions for the greatest profit in dollars,
cents, and satisfaction, TO avail them.
selves Of the services Of the best boar
that can be obtaiced.
IL matters not how many sows a
man has, or how much pains he may
nave taken that they might be Of the
highest quality. all may be counter
balanced by the services of an infe-
rior male, for, at breeding time, the
boar practically amounts 10 half the
nerd, and, under some circumstances,
considerably more. If In his breed
ing he Is a mongrel--a cross OF this,
a little of that, and not much Of any
thing in particular, though be may
look especially well or IL individ.
ually he is well bred, but has been
overworked, overfed, or not fed
enough while young or perhaps Is
of delicate constitution, he may, and
likely will, beget an unthrifty, weedy
progeny, inheriting largely OF his
weakness and want Of character,
with very little Of the good that was
apparently in him. BY one or two
seasons Of such injudicious breeding,
it is possible TO undo In herd what
may have cost years of painstaking
effort 10 accomplish in the way Of
Improvement. Hence, in choosing a
boar, one OF the first and principal
requisites is that he shall be well
bred not simply good individually,
but descendant OF meritorious pa
rents on the side OF both sire and
dam, in whom development of the
most valuable qualities is known 10
be inherent. He should be well
grown, rather than a mere pig, and
should have been always well fed
not made fat on corn, but given a
varied abundance OF food, green and
otherwise, that, combined with plenty
Lof exercise, will develop frame, mus.
cNe. and robust vigor. He should be
SUD ycienuy short-legged, and his body
lge6r enough TO the ground 10 prevent
the suggestion that be is of slight
and airy style of architecture :" he
should have well-sprung ribs-that
Is, they should start from the back
bone at right angles rather than with
too much of downward tendency,
for the latter makes him slab-sided,
and the former Is what gives an ami
NAL the broad or stable" back, and
combined with good width between
the fore legs, gives plenty OF room
for the large lungs and other organs
necessary 10 the highest vitality the
broad back also affords the frame
work upon which 10 spread a large
quantity of the most highly-prized
meat In the entire carcass. lie
should be deep through the shoulders,
and his hams extend we'll down 10
the hook joint behind, and be well
filed in between the thighs, as those
iour pieces, II large, tend wonderfully
10 the money value Of the hogs pro-
duct. A broad face, not too long,
with full jowls, backed By n short
neck, denote, along with vitality,
strong assimIlating powers, or, in
other words, what IL known ms a
sgood feeder.n A dropping car de
notes quietness of disposition =
clean, oily skin denotes a healthy,
active liver and standing square up
on his feet Is evidence Of : strong
framework.
We hope no reader Of the Gasette,
in arranging his plan OF breeding
operations for the year or years TO
come, will 60 wrong at the very
threshold by using s'cheapv boar,
for he will in the end pr0ve.an ex-
pensiye delasion. The ten. twenty
FIVE, or fifty cents more that each pig
from : full-bloodcd, high-class boar
may cost will be returned twenty.fold.
and the profit, not 10 say satisfac.
ton, OF all who handle tue stock
will be enhanced greatly beyond that
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