362 THE AMERICAN FARMER. 



with the Neapolitan race, and to subsequent crosses with the Berkshire breed (this also 

 having been improved by Neapolitan crosses), and likewise, probably, with the Sussex breed. 

 In breeds thus formed by complex crosses, the most careful and unremitting selection during 

 many generations has been found to be indispensable. Chiefly in consequence of so much 

 crossing, some well-known breeds have undergone rapid changes, thus, according to Nathu- 

 sius, the Berkshire breed of 1780 is quite different from that of 1810 ; and since this latter 

 period at least two distinct forms have borne the same name.&quot; 



These wild hogs sometimes grow 

 very large, but usually are less in size 

 than our domestic swine. The engraving, 

 of the old Irish Greyhound pig, exhibits 

 an intermediate animal, a kind of con 

 necting link between the wild and domes 

 tic hog. Richardson, from whose work 

 the illustration is taken, describes this 

 breed as follows : 



&quot;They are tall, long-legged, bony, 

 heavy-eared, coarse-haired animals, their -tfij 

 throats furnished pendulous wattles, and 

 by no means possessing half so much the &quot;* 



. .. OLD IRISH PIG. 



appearance of domestic swine as they do 



of the wild boar, the great original of the race. In Ireland, the old gaunt race of hogs 

 has, for many years past, been gradually wearing away, and is now, perhaps, wholly con 

 fined to the western parts of the country, especially Galway. These swine are remarkably 

 active, and will clear a five-barred gate as well as any hunter ; on this account they should, 

 if it is desirable to keep them, be kept in well-fenced inclosures.&quot; 



The Chinese Hog, previously mentioned as an important and potent element in the 

 animal make-up of the Improved English Swine, is in shape very peculiar; the body being 

 long, legs short, back long and swaying somewhat toward the center, the belly nearly touch 

 ing the ground; jowls very heavy; ears small, and standing out from the head, but not 

 drooping; head and snout short, and very wide between the eyes; neck short; color white or 

 black, or a mixture of both, with the white predominating. The effect of the Chinese cross 

 has been to completely transform the long-legged, elephantine-eared, coarsed -boned, gigantic 

 hog of Old England into the heavy-jowled, short-legged, compact, early maturing, Berkshire, 

 Essex, Poland, China, Small Yorkshire, and Suffolk of the present day. The prepotency of 

 the Chinese blood is seen at every hand in all the improved breeds, there being a tendency 

 to revert to the original Chinese type. Judging from the well known authenticity of the 

 Chinese civilization, it is fair to presume that its breed of swine antedates in its origin that 

 of any other race of domestic animals now known to Europe or America. The facility with 

 which the Chinese pig fattens is one of its distinguishing characteristics; it being stated that 

 from the time it is a week old till it is slaughtered at maturity, it is fat; that when kept in 

 the same pen with others of our best varieties of pigs, the feed being hardly sufficient to sus 

 tain life in them, the Chinese pig is fat; when butchered, no matter at what age, the Chinese 

 pig is a mass of fat. The flesh of this hog is not prized either in Europe or America, because 

 of the superabundance of fat; but the effects of crossing this animal upon the old English 

 breeds have been as remarkable as they have been satisfactory. The illustration given is the 

 best obtainable representation of this justly celebrated animal, and shows him to be true to 

 our description, and also a very peculiar specimen of the swine family. 



