376 



MASSACnUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



acquire great weights in proportion to the bone and offal. 

 Those brought from their native country seldom have that per- 

 fection of symmetry which is most esteemed in animals of this 

 kind, and which the cross-bred descendants soon acquire bj 

 skilful breeding. The pure Chinese fatten too much on the 

 belly and too little on the back, and the fat is inclined to be 

 soft and oily. Youatt says : ^ They do not make good bacon, 

 and are often too fat and oily to be generally esteemed as pork.' 

 The females are sometimes singularly prolific. The improve- 

 ment which has been effected by means of the Chinese race, has 

 resulted, in the first place, from lessening the bone and increas- 

 ing the aptitude to fatten in the stocks with which they have 

 been crossed, and afterwards selecting, as a breeding stock, 

 such as possessed the requisite points as to symmetry. 



IMPROVED SUFFOLK. 



<* This breed is one of the most highly esteemed and valuable 

 in the world. Its origin, according to Youatt and Martin, is 

 the old Suffolk crossed with the Berkshire and Chinese. Youatt 

 says : ' Those arising from the Berkshire and Suffolk are not so 

 well shaped as those arising from the Chinese and Suffolk ; 

 being coarser, longer-legged, and more prominent about the 

 hips.' He concludes : ' On the whole, there are but few better 

 breeds in the kingdom than the Improved Suffolk.' He states 

 that the greater part of the pigs at Prince Albert's farm, near 

 "Windsor, are of this breed. Martin says : ' This breed stands 



