CHARACTERISTICS OF WHITE BREEDS 363 



" Improved Large White pigs 'are ready for the butcher at 

 any age, and if properly fed and allowed sufficient exercise 

 they will furnish bacon of the quality now most in demand. 

 They are not only prolific, but they are excellent mothers, 

 and rear large litters. A sow bred at Holywell Manor, St 

 Ives, and sold to Mr Hawes of Derby, reared forty-eight pigs 

 as the produce of four farrowings. 



"The Middle White is a shorter, thicker, and more 

 compact pig. In the matter of quality (except that the 

 carcase is not quite so lean) it is very similar to the Large 

 White. In comparing the points of the two breeds in detail, 

 the head of the Middle-bred pig is shorter and heavier ; the 

 ears more upright, or pricked ; the nose more turned up ; the 

 legs shorter ; the hair more abundant, finer, and softer. It 

 is not quite so prolific as the Large White, nor does it make 

 such rapid growth when young, although it fattens as quickly 

 when it reaches the age of six months. 



"The Small White is now but very little bred in this 

 country. The enormous increase in the demand for lean 

 bacon has led to a complete change in the form and style of 

 pig sought for by feeders within recent years. The Small 

 White, when well grown, will convert meal into pork at less 

 cost than any other breed of pig, but it grows slowly when 

 young, and the sows rear but small litters, although they are 

 often prolific. The form of a Small White is much like that 

 of the Middle-bred, only on a smaller scale. The ears are 

 pricked, and the jowl heavier. Blue spots are looked upon 

 as a sure indication of a cross having been introduced by one 

 of the large varieties." 



The Lincolnshire Curly-coated or Baston Pig is a purely 

 local breed of great size and merit, chiefly confined to the 

 east of Lincolnshire from the sea-coast as far inland as Louth, 

 Lincoln, Grantham, and Spalding. It is believed to be the 

 modern representative of the breed that Low referred to in 

 the eastern counties as being of " a large size, white colour, 

 and with pendent ears." The colour of the skin and hair is 

 white, but most pigs have blue spots which, however, must 

 grow white hair. The hair is abundant, long, and curly when 

 the coat is full grown. The face is shorter than that of the 

 Large Yorkshire, fine, and quite straight in the nose. The 

 ears fall over the face (hence the name " lopeared"), but must 

 not be too long and heavy, and on no account pricked like the 

 Yorkshire. It is maintained by its advocates that no other 

 breed of pigs will produce, at least in its own district, equiva- 



