ORGANIZATION OF teWlNE-BREEDlNG. 429 



fair of tho Nev/ York State Agricultural Society, held this year at Elmira, ho exhibited 

 a sow, Princess Alice, and six pigs, which was the first time the Victorias have been 

 presented at a State fair for a competition with other swine. The lirst xirize was 

 awarded to the pigs, and the second to the sow. 



Characteristics and standard of cJ~ceUencc. — The color is i>nte white, with a good coat 

 of fine soft hair. The head thin, line, and closely set on the shoulders. The face slightly 

 dishing. The snout short. The ears erect, small, and very light or thin. The shoulders 

 bulging and deep; legs, short and fine. The back broad, straight, and level, aud the 

 body long. The hams round and swelling, and high at the base of the tail, with jilaits or 

 folds between the thighs. The tail fine and fi-ee from wrinkles or rolls ; feathers or 

 rosettes on the back are common. The skin is thin, soft, and elastic. The flesh fine- 

 grained and firm, with small bone aud thick side pork. The pigs easily keep in condi- 

 tion aud cau be made ready for slaughter at any age. These pigs are already in the 

 hands of a number of breeders, mostly iu New York, and seem iu a fair way to wiu 

 for themselves a recognition as the swine that shall combine in one breed all the 

 qualities and characteristics which are desirable. 



This report was referred to a special committee, cousistiug of Messrs. 

 G. W. Jones and C. Fletcher, who in their report commended the effort 

 towards the establishment of this breed as another evidence of the 

 ability of the swine-breeders of America to create, by judicious crossing 

 of the pure breeds upon the swine of their respective localities, just such 

 a hog as their climate and commercial interests demand; and they de- 

 sired to bespeak for the Victorias "-a hearty welcome and a fair trial by 

 intelligent breeders of the various States." 



ChesMres. — Mr. Curtis, from the committee, submitted the following 

 report on Cheshires, which was accepted : 



These hogs originated in Jefferson County, New York; aud it is chiimcd by some of 

 the breeders that they started from a pair of pigs bought of Mr. Wolford, of Albauy, 

 New York, which were called Cheshires. However that may be, there is no such dis- 

 tinctive breed of hogs known as Cheshires in England, and there is no record of any 

 hogs of this name having been imported into this country, i'orkshires have been im- 

 ported into Jefferson County from time to time, and the so-called Cheshires have been 

 improved by crossing with them and hogs bought in Canada. Mr. A. C. Clark, of Hender- 

 son, was for a number of years a prominent breeder of these pigs, and he informed us 

 that whenever he found a pig better than his own he purchased it and crossed it upon 

 his own stock. In this way this family of hogs has been i)roduced, and they are now 

 known and bred iu many ijortions of the United States, though their breeding in Jef- 

 ferson County has diminished during the last two or three years. They are pure white, 

 with a very thin skin, of pink color, with little hair. They are not uniform in this re- 

 spect, as pigs in the same litter differ widely in the amount of hair. The snout is often 

 long, but very slender and fine. The jowls are plump, and the ear erect, fine, aud 

 thin. The shoulders are wide and the hams full. The flesh of these hogs is fine- 

 grained, and they are commended on account of the extra amouut of mess-pork in pro- 

 portion to the amount of ofljal. The tails of the pigs frequently drop off" when youug. 



Jersey Beds — Duroes. — Mr. Curtis, from the committee, submitted the 

 following report on Jersey -Eed and Duroc swine : 



The i)Ositivo origin of this family of swine is unknown. They have been bred hi 

 portions of the State of New Jersey for upwards of fifty years, ancl with many farmers 

 are considered to be a valuable variety. They are of large size and capable of making 

 a hea\-y growth, 500 aud 600 iiounds' weight Ijeing common. 



Mr. David PettiW., Salem County, Now Jersey, has known of these hogs for thirty 

 years, and Mr. D. M. Brown, of Windsor, for nearly fifty years. They are now exten- 

 sively bred in the middle and southern portions of New Jersey. In neighborhoods 

 they were bred quite uniform, being of a dark-red color ; while iu other sections they 

 are more sandy aud often patched with white. They are probably descended from the 

 old importations of Berkshires, as there is no record of the Tamworth — the red hogs 

 of England— ever having been brought into this country; nor is tbis likely, as the 

 Tamworth were not considered a valuable breed, and were confined to a limited breed- 

 ing. The reds resemble the old Berkshires in many respects, but are now much coarser 

 than the improved swine of this breed. 



Characteristics.— A good specimen of a Jersey Ked should be red iu color, with a suouf 

 of moderate length, large lop-ears, small head in proportion to the size and length ol 

 the body. They should be long in the body, standing higli and rangy on their legs ; 

 bono coarse, hairy tail and brush, and hair coarse, inclining to bristles on the back. 



