The Large White Yorkshire Pig. 45 



of all, provided that the other essential points go with it, it 

 may be mentioned that the success of the late Lord Ellesmere's 

 Worsley herd was attributed to the fact that " size with quality, 

 but quality alone at no price," was always the governing idea. 

 That this acted well from a financial as well' as a showyard 

 point of view may be illustrated by the fact that in the last 

 ten years of its existence less than two per cent, of the pigs 

 bred in the herd were sold to the butcher, the remainder selling 

 at pedigree prices, and never once was difficulty experienced 

 in selling all the pigs desired. 



A I-arge White pig of what we conceive to be the proper 

 type is anything but "an ungainly brute unable to move," as 

 the advocates of the half Middle, half Large White type have 

 described it. If the weights of the winners of the champion- 

 ships of the various breeds and cross-breeds during the last 

 eight years at the Smithfield Club's shows be examined (earlier 

 particulars are not at the moment available), it will be found 

 that the Large White heads the list for the greatest daily gain, 

 namely, 1-8 lb. per day from date of birth to the time exhibited, 

 the other breeds being as follows : Middle White 1'5, Large 

 Black 1-7, Berkshire I'O, Tamworth 1-6, Lincoln 1-7. This 

 difference may not seem great, but if worked out for over 

 three hundred days it is considerable and worthy of notice. 



In holding up the character of the typical Large White 

 breed, we may mention that t3'pical Large White breed 

 specimens have won the supreme championship over all 

 breeds at the London Smithfield Club's Shows three times out 

 of the last seven exhibitians. Where then is the reproach that 

 he is an ungainly helpless brute ? 



Finally, it is therefore suggested for the consideration of 

 breeders that they should breed for size with all true Large 

 White characteristics which have been desci'ibed, and that they 

 shovild have nothing to do with the short backed short legged 

 finely drawn specimens that some breeders are so apt to be 

 satisfied with, but which will never lift thei" herd out of the 

 order of mediocrity. Short legs are rather a disadvantage than 

 a fault. A very short-legged sow has great difficulty in moving 

 comfortably about just before pigging and when in milk, and 

 is apt to damage her hind teats. A medium length of leg can 

 be no disadvantage, and ensures easy movement under all 

 conditions. Among other qualities which specially distinguish 

 this breed is the excellence of the great sides of bacon which 

 it produces. In support of this it may be mentioned that 

 Messrs. Harris, of Calne, distribute large numbers of Large 

 White boai's for improving the bacon-producing capabilities 

 of the local V>reeds of pigs in the south-west of England, and 

 will use no other breed for this purpose. 



