404 FARMERS' INSTITUTES, 



ities of climate and conditions produces distinct characteristic results. And 

 thus it is with our swine. They have, in different countries and in the hands 

 of different breeders who held different opinions of what the hog should be, 

 become changed and known as different breeds which are very dissimilar. 

 It is not my purpose to enter into a detailed description of the twenty or 

 more so-called breeds, but I have selected a few of the leading breeds to 

 consider. 



BERKSHIKES. 



In tradition and history the Berkshire figures among the largest and 

 heaviest breeds of England. The old time Berkshire weighed at maturity 

 from 700 to 1,000 pounds, and in some instances even more. Originally 

 they were mostly of a buff, sandy or red color, spotted with black; sometimes 

 white and spotted in the same manner. They were coarse in bone, head large 

 and heavy, ear thick and lopping ; broad on the back, deep in the chest, flat 

 sided and long in body, with very fair hams and shoulders. The body was 

 covered with a thick, heavy coat of long curly hair, and was mounted on 

 quite short, strong legs ; flesh nicely marbled ; and on this account highly 

 prized in England. They were slow feeders and did not mature till two or 

 three years of age. However, much improvement had been made before 

 they were introduced into the United States. 



Mr. A. B. Allen, who ranks high as authority on the early history of 

 this breed, states that the first importation of Berkshires was made by 

 John Brentnall of New Jersey, in the year 1823. In 1841 a sort of a Berk- 

 shire craze swept over this country, caused by the exertions of parties then 

 interested in the breed, and stock changed hands at very high prices. They 

 are said to have been hogs that possessed a great deal of merit, but through 

 the neglectful manner of stock raising at that time, they fast degenerated, 

 and the Berkshire became an object of ridicule and disgust. But this reac- 

 tion was not permanent, and to-day there are many champions of the breed 

 both in the IJnited States and Canada. 



The standard points in this breed are: Snout, fine and inclined to 

 be short; head, fine but larger in proportion to the body in the male than in 

 the female, broad between the eyes and face well dished; jowls, full or other- 

 wise as the breeder may fancy; eyes, bright and expressive; ears, small, thin 

 and upright: neck, short, rather full in throat and harmoniously swelling 

 to the shoulders ; chest, broad and deep ; back, broad and moderately arched, 

 rump nearly level with it; shoulders in the male extra thick, yet slop- 

 ing smoothly to the body; hams, broad, round and deep ; legs, fine, strong, 

 of moderate length and set rather wide apart ; feet, small, with clear, tough 

 hoofs; bone, fine and of ivory-like grain and hardness; hair, fine, soft and 

 silky; movements quick and spirited ; carriage stylish, and the male bold and 

 imposing in appearance. 



CHESTER WHITES. 



This is one of our largest breeds of swine, and like most others was pro- 

 duced by crossing different breeds and giving a name to the produce after 

 they had been bred in a certain way long enough to possess some fixed types. 

 In the year 1818 Mr. James Jeffries, of Chester county, Pennsylvania, 

 imported from Bedfordshire, England, a pair of hogs knowfi as Bedfords. 



