97 



the use of Italian and Spanish crosses (hiring the latter part of 

 the eighteenth century. 



Among the first mentioned of the early improvers of the hreed 

 are Richard Astley and Lord Harrington. Lord Barrington did 

 his best work as a breeder between 1820 and 1830, and it is as- 

 serted by some authorities that to him the chief improvement of 

 the early Berkshire was due, and that most of the old English 

 herds of quality traced their ancestry to this herd. However, a 

 number of other prominent English breeders of later date are men- 

 tioned as contributing largely to the improvement of the Berk- 

 shires. 



Early importations of the breed W'Cre made to America, several 

 being recorded as occurring between 1820 and 1835. However, it 

 was not until nearly half a century after the first importations that 

 the breed attained to general favour in that country. In 1875, the 

 first, or American Berkshire Association, was organized, and in 

 1893 the National Berkshire Record Association was formed. 

 Since that time the improvement of the Berkshire has gone on as 

 rapidly, if not more so, in America as in England. This wade- 

 spread interest, however, caused a natural rivalry between breed- 

 ers in those two coulitries, and in some sections the somewhat 

 larger and coarser English type is the favorite. As was natural, 

 several types of this breed sprung up during the early improve- 

 ment, but a good degree of uniformity was finally established, 

 and while there are still coarse and fine types of this breed, they 

 are all possessed of the same general characteristics which have 

 made the breed popular with the American farmer. 



The Berkshires are among the largest of the medium breeds. 

 Tliey are adaptable to a wide range of conditions, probably head- 

 ing the list of the improved breeds in this respect. They possess 

 great muscular power, and more than ordinary activity. They 

 possess the quality of early maturity to an extent which enables 

 the breeder to fatten them at almost any age desired, yet when 

 properly fed for a longer term they will attain to great weight 

 and size. They have limbs with bone of good quality, which, to- 

 gether with their activity, makes them exceptionally good grazers. 

 They are hearty feeders, and as a breed have a strong digestive 

 and assimilative power, which enables them tO' give a maximum 

 return for the food consumed, although they are of a rather ner- 

 vous and excitable temperament, and need careful and quiet 

 handling the best results. They are possessed of strong pre- 



