ORGANIZATION OF SWINE-BREEDING. 427 



giving a history of the improvement, from wliich tbe follo\ying extracts 

 are made : 



Tbe first iutrotlnctiou of Cliiu.i bogs into tbis part of Obio, so far as I bave ever 

 beard, was in tbe year 181G. Jobn Wallace, tbeu a trustee of our society, visited Pbil- 

 adclpbia on business in tbat year, and, wbile tbere, -was sbown -wbat were called "Big 

 Cliina " bogs. He v\-as pleased witb tbeir appearance, and purcbased one boar and 

 tbree sows, wbicb were brougbt tbe- same season to Union Village. Tbe time of tbo 

 purcbase I am able to fix certainly, by subsequent ocv^urrences distinctly remembered. 



Tbe boar and two of tbo sows were entirely wbite. Tbe otbcr sow bad some sandy 

 spots upon ber, in wbicb appeared some small black spots. Tliese four bogs were un- 

 derstood to be eitber imported Cbina or tbe immediate descendants of imported stock. 

 Tbey and tbeir progeny were extensively used and crossed witb the best breeds tbeu 

 existing, and tbe product of these crosses constituted substantially what was afterward 

 called the " Warren Coimty" bog. 



The Berkshires were introduced into Warren County in 1835 or 1836 by Mr. Munson 

 Beach, who operatedin connection witb bis brother, Louis Beach, then a prominent mer- 

 chant in tbo city of New York. Subsequently tbey made other shipments of tbo same 

 stock to W^arren and Butler Counties. Tbe Berkshires, introduced by tbe Messrs. Beach, 

 were generally black, with occasional marks of wbite, cither on the feet, tbe tip of the 

 tail, or in the face. Tbey were muscular, active, and round-bodied bogs, and in most 

 cases had .sbarp-pointed, upright ears. Some families, however, were largo in size, deep 

 in tbeir bodies, vrith ears that lopped. 



Tbe Irish Grazier breed of bogs was imported direct into Southwestern Obio by Wil- 

 liam Neff, esq., of Cincinnati. "My recollection is, tbat his importation was made in 

 1839, possibly in 1840. Tbe Graziers were wbite, witb only an occasional sandy spot 

 which appeared about the eyes. Mr. Neff committed some of these bogs to tbe care of 

 Mr. Anthony Keever, whose farm adjoined onr lands on tbe south. Mr. Keever was a 

 judicious breeder, and esteeming tbo Grazier highly, be bred them and crossed tbera 

 liberally. 



These two breeds — tbo Berkshires and IrisbGraz-iers — -were extensively used in making 

 crosses by tbe best breeders in ^^^^rren and Butler Counties, and to some extent iu 

 Clinton and Hamilton Counties. Having been carefully bred and intermixed witb 

 tbe descendants and cro.sses of tbe Big China witb other breeds, tbe stock thus pro- 

 duced constitntcd the true and original basis of vrhat are now known as tbe JIagie or 

 Poland-China bogs. 



He stated further, that subsequently ''to the purchase of the Big- 

 China, by John Wallace,'' other China hogs were introduced into the 

 Miami Valley, which were of smaller size, generally with small upright 

 ears, of fine fattening tendency, but not prolific breeders. 



The two reports were recommitted to the committee, for a reconcilia- 

 tion of differences, after full consultation and examination of author- 

 ities. Mr. Shepard was absent, but Messrs. Milliken and Baldridge agreed 

 upon the minority report, with a recommendation that no change of 

 name be made, as follows : 



The history of the breed of swine kuor.'n as the " Poland-China " breed is as follows : 



In the early history of swine-breeding in the Miami Valley, in Ohio, it is clear, from 

 tbe bcvSt written authorities available, and from oral testimony, tbat there were two 

 breeds which, to a great extent, had been profitably crossed witb tbe common bristled 

 breed of the country. These were the Russian and Byfield breeds. The Bedford breed 

 is also named in connection with the other two ; to what extent it was used cannot now 

 be readily determined. 



In 1816 we bave positive proof from an unquestioned source tbat the Shakers of 

 Union Village, situate iu Warren County, Obio, and being four miles from Moaroe, iu 

 Butler County, purchased at Philadelphia one boar and three sows, of what was, at 

 the time, believed to be pure China. They were rei)resented to be either imported, or 

 the immediate descendants of imported stock. Tbey were called "Big Cbiiia" bogs. 

 These animals were tbe first Cbina hogs ever brougbt into Southwestern Ohio. Sub- 

 sequently other China hogs were introtluced and extensively used. 



The Shakers and other judicious breeders in Warreu and Butler Counties continued 

 to use tbe breeds at command, and produced, by repeated crosses, a hog of exceedingly 

 tine qualities for that period, wbicli was generally known as the " Warren County" 

 bog. These bogs, continually increasing in good qualities, were bred in both counties, 

 and the very best specimens were carefully and intercbangeablj'^ used, so as to make 

 the best crosses. 



Such was the progress tbat bad been made in forming the ground-work of a good 

 specimen of a hog. Tbis condition of tbe breed continued until about the year 1835 or 



