380 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



" This is one of the most valuable breeds now known. Its 

 establishment is generally credited to the late Lord Western. 

 It has, of later years, been extensively known in tlie hands of 

 W. Fisher Hobbs, of Mark's Hall, Essex, It has, perhaps, 

 carried more prizes at the shows of the Smithfield Club, within 

 the last ten years, than any other breed. As above mentioned, 

 it was derived from a cross with the Neapolitan, and inherits 

 the color of that race,* with more size, finer symmetry, and 

 much better constitution. Stephens, author of the ' Book of 

 the Farm,' and the ' Farmer's Guide,' says : ' As to the breed 

 which shows the greatest disposition to fatten, together with a 

 due proportion of lean, I never saw one equal to that which 

 was originated by Lord Western, in Essex. They were 

 exceedingly gentle, indisposed to travel far, not very prolific, 

 however, but could attain, if kept on, to a great weight, and so 

 compact in form and small of bone and offal, that they invari- 

 ably yielded a greater weight of pork than was judged of be- 

 fore being slaughtered. The oflfal was small, and more deli- 

 cious ham was never cured, than they afforded.' Martin says : 

 ' These animals fatten quickly, grow rapidly, and yield very 

 superior meat. The hogs when fattened, will sometimes weigh 

 twenty-six or twenty-eight stones, (fourteen pounds,) often 

 eighteen or twenty,' equal to two hundred and fifty-two to three 

 hundred and ninety-two pounds. 



" Colonel Lewis G. Morris, of Fordham, Westchester County, 

 New York, has made several importations of this breed, some 

 specimens of which were purchased of W. Fisher Hobbs, and 

 were of that gentleman's best stock. 



" Poiiits of a Good Hog. — The points which indicate the 

 fattening tendency in a hog, are, the head small, with short 

 snout and dished face ; the ear small and thin ; the neck short 

 and thick ; the chest broad and capacious ; t the ribs round j 

 the back straight ; the loin broad ; the rump long from hips 



* Though the entire body of the " Improved Essex " is covered with a pigment 

 of black, these swine dress handsome, showing as white and fair a skin as the 

 Suffolk.— Com. 



t The writer is aware that Liebig and some others have held that small chests 

 were most favorable to the fattening tendency, but common observation does not 

 support the idea. 



