CHAPTER XVII 



PIGS 1 



Pigs The European Pig, Sus scrofa, and the Chinese Pig, Sus 

 indicus The Wild Hog, Sus aper The National Pig Breeders' 

 Association, and other Societies General Show Points of Improved 

 Breeds The Bacon-curer's Pig Changes in Feeding and in Curing 

 Rolled Bacon Distinguishing Characteristics White Breeds 

 Large, Small, and Middle Yorkshires Lincoln Curly Lopears 

 Scotch White Pigs Dark Breeds The Large Black The Berk- 

 shireThe Essex and other Small Black Breeds The Tarn worth 

 or Staffordshire Breed. 



PIGS are divided into two groups Sus scrofa and Sus 

 indicus. 



The latter, or Chinese pig of several types, is by far the 

 more improved (refined) of the two, from the modern 

 breeder's point of view. The scrofa, the European pig, is 

 sprung from and resembles the wild boar. As compared 

 with the indicus type, it is longer, leaner, narrower, coarser 

 in bone, in hair, and in every way ; the nose is longer and 

 the forehead narrower, but these defects in form are cor- 

 related with greater activity and a hardier constitution. 



Although it is the fashion to use these classifications, 

 there is no doubt but that all pigs that breed freely together, 

 of whatever colour, size, and form, must have originated from 

 one common stock, and had for a common parent the Wild 

 Hog, Sus scrofa, which possessed a wide geographical distri- 

 bution, being indigenous to Europe, Asia, and North Africa. 

 Sanders Spencer refers to the Wild Boar of Europe l< as of 

 a russety-grey colour when young, deepening as the pig 

 reaches maturity, and becoming a dark chestnut-brown, with 



1 For a list of the Herd Books, see Appendix D. See Bulletins Nos. 

 47 (Parts I., II., and III.), 69, and 77 (Part III.), U.S. Department of 

 Agriculture, Bureau of Animal Industry ; Pigs, Breeds, and Management, 

 by Sanders Spencer, Vinton & Co.; The Book of the Pig, by James 

 Long ; and, the Rational Pig-keeper to ensure Profit, by W. J. Maiden 

 and William A. May, 1906. 



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