The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1888-12-29
THE STOCK RANCH.
Syirls.


J. L. Van Doren, in the S.cine Breed
ers' journal writes upon this much dis
cussed point as follows:
While | do not believe in encouraging
swirl breeding would not discarda good
brood SOW or boar if they had swirl on
their back as large as the bare spot on
the top of my head, or if they were pro-
d. ng pigs that had other points more
eS ential in the making up of a hog with
good feeding qualities, which are far
more important than a few hairs that do
not lay straight.
/ have no doubt that the subject, as it
has been presented to the readers of the
journal Will discourage the breeding of
swirls, and the probabilities are that
many good pig Will go 70 pork barrel
simply because it has a swirl, while its
place Will be filled by one very much in
ferior IN many respects in order to get
the hair straight. look at this matter
something after the color craze which
came over the breeders few years ago,
and many hold to it yet, nothing but
pig black with white points is fit to
breed to In order to initiate the Berk-
shire as near as possible in color. What
was the consequence? Every pig that
had the color was sold at good prices,
while many a good one was butchered
because he had few white spots Go
and look at the pigs where color was
taken into consideration before any
thing and what do you see? A lot of
porkers that are small, tight hide, rough
coat Of hair, showing no quality or mel
lowness.
Now | will make the assertion land it
will raise a breeze among some of your
able writer's, but if it does as long as it
1,1 ~ L
certainly do good and the oldest and
best breeders in Ohio will back me ont
in what l say, that the best feeding hogs
We ever had were those that had a few
white spots with often swirl and occa-
sioaally curly, such as World Beaten
1918 and his son 4. 5. 1895. These hogs
show ed mellowness, and bred pigs with
good feeding qualities. But some viii
say, That crank wants to 90 back in
stead OF forward, in breeding" I want
the hog that viii make the most pounds
Of pork for the amount of food con-
sus.ed if / can get hin with all the good
points, such as a short head, nice, fine
dropping ear mo hair on, straight.
strong back, thick through the ham or
shoulder, good around the heart, stand
ing straight on heavy set of limbs,
with a few other extras thrown in. such
40 % me IOdL VI mar Tone lll0I needs u o
clipping before he is shown, mellow,
loose hide, soft t. the touch, which de
notes good breeding, point in which
so many of the Poland Chinas are off,
and instead of correcting the evil it gets
worse, simply because color and swirls
have the preference to all other qualifi-
cations. But in conclusion, / must adj
NIT If | can get a pig something like [
have described, without a swirl, | want
him. But | want him to show quality
and mellowness, if he has spots as large
as my hand, for l am sure that [ have a
feeding hog, and one that will give me
value received for every pound of feed
he gets. How often do we see yearling
hogs IN the show ring that have been
clipped in order to help their appear
ance. They are nothing but coarse
haired brutes. These are the kind the
experts should cut about two points, for
they have no breeding and neither will
they breed good lot of pigs even on
the best sows.