Wichita eagle., 1889-12-19

| his death were occasionally utilized for
| saddle flaps and door mats, has been toned
down seemingly to give the lie to the adage
| that you ''can not make silk purse out OF
a Sow's ear"
| The snout that has furnished a model
| for the railway snow pillow and that once
enabled the animal to dig down into the
bowels of the earth for his medicine has
been SO modified as to require second
| look at the animal in order not to confuse
| one in giving an intelligent answer TO the
conundrum: (Which is the butt end of a
goat"
! The legs that nature meant should be
| strong and supple, enabling the possessor to
clear five-barred gate and carry its own
| averdudois to market without break
down, have given way to an underpInnlng
| that frequently snaps like pipe stems. For
| purposes of utility the legs might just as
| we'll be bred off and fiippers substituted.
| They could be driven to slaughted like seals
in Alaska and the list OF Grips would
grow small by degrees and beautifully
less"
When I was boy my father purchased
pig and turned him over to my tender care:
| Besides absorbing the milk and refuse OF
the kitchen he absorbed great deal of my
spare time and an unlimited share Of my
affections In the course OF time was
induced to show him at the county fair,
and you can imagine how tall suddenly
grew and the look of hateur carried IN
my demeanor when | walked of with the
blue ribbon and my order on the treasurer
for FIVE dollars in wild cat money.
When l settled down in life. farmer
brought to my place one day large spot
ted SOW, whose broad back, deep sides and
heavy hams cought my fancy at glance.
| was somewhat inquisitive as to her
breed, and was informed that she was
full blooded Magic or Poland China, i'm
ported from Illinois. The term imported,
which he rolled like a sweet morsel under
his tongue, at once captivated me, and l
instantly became victimiZed to the amount
of S25 That occurred nineteen years ago,
and from that time to the present, with
few brief intervals have been breeder
of Poland China swine. In nineteen years
this breed has grown in popularity, but
has undergone some material changes
That it is now fixed breed, having all
the characteristics of thoroughbred,
there is no question of doubt.
| shall not tax your patience with de-
scription or history of this or any other
breed of swine, but as four-f1fths of all the
hogs raised in Kansas are either full blood
ed or grade Poland Chinas, may be par
doned for giving them prominence in this
paper. Nowadays no man pretends to be
a breeder of thoroughbred swine without
having his breeding herd registered IN the
volumes of some reliable record company.
Every animal so recorded has its name,
number and description, as we'll as those
of its ancestors for many generations back.
and a careful reliable breeder can furnish
correct pedigree of every pig that goes
out from his yards. | know that many
swine breeders sheer at this mot SO many
now as formerly and look upon 1t merely
as as scheme to add 100 per cent TO the
price of pig. / submit this axiom: Not
every boar with a pedigree IS worthy to
L - Lar, of
no more is boar that can not be pedlgreed
worthy to stand in the same relation"
Iucestuous breeding Is the primary
cause vi many of the ills to which swine
flesh is heir. To obviate this in great
measure and to register no unworthy ami
mails the record system was lnaugm ated,
and in my judgment Is accomplishing rs
object. The Berkshire breeders took the
lead in this matter, and having but one
record on tie continent have had smooth
sailing. With Poland China breeders IN
til of recent years there was continual
tempest in teapot. First was the dill
Guilty in fixing Il standard. Some breeders
of note claimed that the ideal Poland Chi
ma should be large spotted, heavy boned,
lop cared animal, with rather sluggish
disposition and tendency towards early
maturity. Others commended that the
coarseness should be bred out; that he
should have smooth coat of hair, black
with white points, a fine, silky, medium
sized dropping ear and legs of medium
thickness and length, with quiet DISPOSE
ton but activity sufficient to keep out OF
the way of feeding cattle when enclosed in
the same yard. Early maturity with
good averdupois was to be the browning
feature OF this ideal. When taken into
consideration the fact that the old Hark-
raider SOW, the dam from which has sprung
a large proportion of all prize winning
Dol, al h fa
the characteristics of the type frat named,
it may be a matter Of surprise that
coarse boned spotted Poland China when
he makes his appearance Is not allowed to
propagate his species. The i've Poland
China record companies now IN existence
are a unit in their standard of excellence.
The novice In looking at large herd of
thoroughbreds, many of them as much
alike as peas in pod, will wonder how
the breeder can select therefrom the pair
of pigs not akin of your choice, and fur
nish correct pedigrees OF the same. 1t Is
easily done, but there is only one man that
can do it. IL is he who brought about the
coupling OF the sire and dam, ana straight
way made an entry of the event IN book
prepared for that purpose. In twenty or
twenty-four days thereafter If the dam
showed no signs OF beng IN
heat she was considered safe and the entry
in the breeding book was not disturbed. In
sixteen weeks thereafter almost to day
the SOW would produce her litter. An
other entry then would be made in the
book opposite her name, giving the date on
which she narrowed, aud the number of
sows and boarS in the litter. When the
pigs would be four weeks old or there
abouts they would be caught up slngly
and nicked with a knife once, says in the
lobe of the left ear. The second litter sim
ilarly nicked in the lobe of the right ear
l,-,n bn IN NJ en- an mn
twenty to thirty filters could be so desig-
mated by ear marks alone. \ description
of these marks or notcheS would then be
entered in its proper place on the cook,
only one thing now remains and your pig
is ready for his pedigree. The litter must
be weaned and when they pass this ordeal
say at ten weeks old, you make your last
entry--so many sows and so many bears
raised. 1t is only necessary for the breeder
TO examine pigs ear so treated, and then
refer to his book and by the aid Of print
ed blank and his volumes OF the record
furnish pedigree that he can swear by.
The breeder of thoroughbreds II he is
worthy OF patronage, has made the hog
study. He has not arrived at proficiency
as breeder without committing many er-
ror As beginner he mas doubtless been
victimized in the purchase of parent stock.
He has spent piles and piles OF money be-
fore he gets just what he wants.
Every year or two he is compelled 20 buy
a boar of a different strain, but one that
might satisfy the average farmer falls far
below his own requirements, for if Ike is
to produce like, If deterioration is to be
avoided. if his motto is excelsior, he must
have sires that approximate perfection.
Probably the boar he wants cannot be
found with radius of 800 miles, but he
manages to ind him or thinks he does,
and when secured, he has undoubtedly
found pearl of great price. Ii he keeps