LESSER KNOWN BREEDS OF SWINE 461 



The introduction into England of these Chinese, Nea- 

 politan and Siamese pigs wrought a revolution among the 

 earlier types of swine, and the crossing and inter-crossing 

 of various types, which followed the introduction of foreign 

 blood, and which is too intricate and too little known to 

 admit of complete investigation, resulted eventually hi the 

 English breeds of the present day. 



Chinese, Neapolitan and Siamese swine were also im- 

 ported into the United States. The great bulk of Ameri- 

 can foundation stock came from Great Britain, especially 

 England, and as was the case in England, the use of 

 Chinese, Neapolitan and other similar blood, followed by 

 the crossing of various local types, has led to the establish- 

 ment of what are known as American breeds. 



586. Chinese swine. Youatt writes of these swine as 

 follows : " There are two distinct varieties, the white and 

 the black ; both fatten readily, but from their diminutive 

 size attain no great weight. They are small in limb, 

 round in body, short in the head, wide in the cheek, and 

 high in the chine ; covered with very fine bristles growing 

 from an exceedingly thin skin; and not peculiarly sym- 

 metrical, for, when fat, the head is so buried in the neck 

 that little more than the tip of the snout is visible. The 

 pure Chinese hog is too delicate and susceptible to cold 

 ever to become a really profitable animal in this country 

 (England) ; it is difficult to rear, and the sows are not 

 good nurses, but one or two judicious crosses have in a 

 manner naturalized it. ... Many valuable crosses have 

 been made with these animals ; for the prevalent fault of 

 the old English breeds having been coarseness of flesh, 

 unwieldiness of form, and want of aptitude to fatten, an 

 admixture of the Chinese breed has materially corrected 

 these defects." Youatt 's description is so clear that it 



