424 AGRICULTURAL REPORT. 



l)Gariug upon tbc liisLorv ol" Americtm swiuc-breediug, agrcomeiit upon 

 tlio essential characteristics of cstablisLccl Liced^, discussion of the 

 status of ximcricau breeds in process of formation, and for the possible 

 inauguration of a systematic record for thorough-bred swiue. At ;•« 

 meeting of the New York I'armers' Club, December 12, 1871, Colonel 

 Frank D. Curtis, vice-president of the New York Agricultural Society, 

 said upon this subject : 



Among tbc additions wliich have been made to tbc rapidly-iucreasing agricultnral 

 literature of tbc day, none are more important tban tbe Ayrsbire and Jersey lierd-books. 

 The same necessity which created these, demands a swiue herd-book, to protect and 

 foster one of the greatest agricultural interests of this country. When we take into 

 the account that at least 30,000,000 hogs are slaughtered annually, and that the number 

 is rapidly increasing each year, the importance of doing anything to advance this great 

 industry is apparent ; and to our view, a swino herd-book, in which a record of all the 

 pure-breed hogs or families iu this country may be made, is required to protect the 

 buyer of thorough-bred swine, and as a guarantee of the purity of the blood. If we do 

 not have a herd-book, then we ought to have a record of the points and peculiarities 

 which characterize the different breeds, so explicit and carefully prepared that it shall 

 be authority and constitute a standard by which buyers and breeders as well as judges 

 shall bo governed. We have at present no such standard in print, and the whole siib- 

 ject of breeds, and what is thorough-bred, and what marks or features are necessary 

 to constitute a i^ure breed, and in several cases, the correct names, are almost totally 

 open questions. Under this loose and unreliable system of breeding and sale, grade 

 animals are sold as thorough-breds, and inferior and impure stock are made to increase 

 our herds, bearing fictitious titles, thus causing disappointment to the purchaser as 

 well as loss, and tilling a neighborhood or a township with distrust and checking the 

 tide of progress. 



There is no remedy for this, except by tho adoption of a standard authority, which 

 should be done by the honorable and intelligent breeders of the diflerent varieties in 

 tho several States. In order to accomplish this desirable end, and as a preliminary 

 work, I move that a committee of three be appointed to correspond with swine-breed- 

 ers, with a view, if thought practicalile, of calling a conventiou to consider their 

 interests, and to take such action as may be deemed advisable. 



The chairman, Mr. N. C. Ely, appointed as such, committee, Frank D. 

 Curtis, of Charlton, Saratoga County, New Y^ork; L. A. Chase, office of 

 the Agriculturist, New Y'ork ; M. C. Weld, Closter, New Jersey. This 

 committee addressed to prominent swine-breeders the following specific 

 inquiries : 



First. Would it be useful to breeders to have a scale of points for each breed of swine, 

 made out acciuately, in conformity with the views and practices of the best breeders, 

 for the guidance of breeders and of judges at fairs? 



Second. Will you prepare, soon, and forward to us, a scale of points for the breed 

 with which you are most familiar, or for more thau one, giving a particular description 

 of each "point," as in the scale of points for the various breeds of neat-cattle? 



Third. After the views of different breeders, applied to as you now are, have been 

 collected, would you bo in favor of calling a convention of the more prominent breed- 

 ers of each breed, for considering and settling these points authoritatively ? 



THE NEW YORK CONViiNTION. 



The interest manifested iu the elicited responses induced the calling 

 of a national conventiou, which met at the Cooper CTnion, May 14, 

 1872, and was duly organized by the selection of Henry Stewart 

 as chairman, and Chas. D. Bragdon as secretary. Frank D. Curtis, 

 chairman of the committee on preliminary correspondence, stated the 

 object of the meeting, and read encouraging letters from prominent 

 breeders of all sections of the country. A committee of five was ap- 

 pointed to select committees (of three members each) to report re- 

 spectively upon the history, characteristics, and a scale of points of each 

 breed of swine ])red in America ; and also to name a committee of three 

 to report upon " what constitutes thorough-bred swine.'' This committee 

 included, with the chairman and secretary, Messrs. Weld, Curtis, and 



