THE FAT OR LARD BREEDS OF SWINE 443 



black and white. In 1830, Lord Western imported black 

 Neapolitan pigs from Italy, and crossed them with the 

 Essex pigs. In the course of time he evolved a type that 

 was a wonderful improvement on the old Essex, and it is 

 said that he used other blood than that of the Neapolitan. 

 It is stated that Lord Western inbred too closely, and that his 

 pigs became weak in constitution and lacking in fecundity. 



Soon after Lord Western began his work of improve- 

 ment, one of his tenants, named Fisher Hobbes, took up 

 the breeding of Essex-Neapolitan pigs, and in his hands 

 the breed was much improved, increasing in size and im- 

 proving in constitution and breeding qualities. The 

 Hobbes strain was called Improved Essex, and gained in 

 popularity very rapidly. 



It is said that some of the old Essex pigs existed in the 

 United States as early as 1820. When the Improved 

 Essex had established its reputation, importations to 

 America became common, and large numbers were brought 

 out, but of late years very few importations have been made. 



552. Description. The Essex must be classed with 

 the small breeds, being, as a breed, decidedly smaller than 

 the Berkshire or the Poland- 

 China. It is a short, thick, 

 deep, chunky type of pig, 

 with short, fine-boned legs. 

 The snout is short, the face 

 dished, the forehead broad, 

 and the ears small, fine and 

 erect, but inclined to droop 



slightly with age. The neck is very short, and the 

 shoulders and hams largely developed. Altogether, it is 

 a very smooth, compact type of hog. The color is all 

 black, no white being admissible (Fig. 92). 



