long flapping ears; this is the case especially in several of our western counties, but experience seems to demonstrate that those animals are best which have short, fine, erect ears. The boar should always be vigorous and masculine in appearance.
That quaint old writer Lisle in his "Husbandrie," gives the following advice on this subject advice more suited to swine "as they were," than to the improved breeds which are now so generally replacing the heavy old races, but still worthy of some degree of attention:—
"In all kinds of four-footed beasts, the shape and form of the male is chosen with great care, because the progeny is frequently more like the father than the mother; wherefore, in swine-cattle also, certain of them must be approved, which are choice and singular for the largeness of their whole body, and such as are rather square (than those that are long and round), with a hanging-down belly, vast buttocks, but not so long legs and hoofs, of a large and glandulous neck, with short snouts, and turned upwards; and especially, which is more to the purpose, the males must be exceedingly salacious, and such as are proper for gendering from the age of one year till they come to their fourth year; nevertheless, they can also impregnate the female when they are six months old. Sows of the longest size and make are approved, provided they be, in the rest of their members, like the boars which have been already described.
"If the country is cold, and liable to hoar-frost, the herd must be chosen of an exceeding hard, thick, and black bristle. If it be temperate, and lie exposed to the sun, the cattle that is smooth and has no bristles, or even that which is white, and proper for the mill and the bakehouse, may be fed."
But although the chief care must be bestowed on the selection of the male animal, we must not be led to imagine that the female may be chosen at random. One of good form and breed, free from constitutional defects, and from disease of any kind; not addicted to vice, and especially not to feeding on flesh or carrion, or destroying rabbits, or poultry, should be chosen. Also those which produce the finest and most numerous progeny should be kept for breeding, especially if at the same time they are good nurses; and the comparatively barren animals spayed and fattened. Sows that have very low bellies almost touching the ground, seldom produce large or fine litters. A good-sized sow is generally considered more likely to prove a good breeder and nurse, and to farrow more easily and safely, than a small delicate animal. Few of our domesticated animals suffer so much from being bred in-and-in as swine. Where this system is pursued, the number of young ones is decreased at every litter, until the sows become, in a manner, barren. As soon as the slightest tendency to this degeneracy is observed, the breed should be crossed from time to time, keeping sight, however, while
