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The Lard Type. — The Berkshire. — This is an English 

 breed from the counties of Berkshire and Wilts. In its early 

 improvement Chinese, Siamese, and Neapolitan breeds were 

 used, but later improvements were mainly by careful selec- 

 tion. The Berkshire is one of the larger breeds. Young pigs 

 at six months old may easily be made to weigh 180 pounds or 

 more. The color is black, with "six white points"; namely, 

 white in the face, white on the tail, and four white feet. There 

 are sometimes other white marks, but the six mentioned are 

 almost always present. The earlier Berkshires were often 

 sandy or even red in color. The Berkshire usually carries its 

 ears erect, and this helps to distinguish it from the Poland- 

 China whose ears always droop more or less. The pork of 

 the Berkshire is superior. A large proportion of the flesh 

 is lean and the fat is well intermingled. This breed can 

 be made to pass for a bacon type when properly fed. 

 Berkshires have been largely used in improving other breeds 

 and in grading up the common breeds. The Berkshire 

 is adapted to a wide range of climate, but is best adapted 

 to temperate regions. It is probably more widely distributed 

 in the United States than any other breed. Large prices have 

 been paid for breeding stock of this breed, boars often selling 

 for $1,000 or more. 



Poland-China. — The Poland-China is an American breed 

 originating in Butler and Warren Counties, Ohio. It was 

 developed from a mixture of several local breeds. These 

 breeds were the Russian, Byfield, Big China, Irish Grazier, 

 and Berkshire, and probably some others, but since 1845 it 

 has been pure. The breed was mostly white in color until 

 the Berkshire blood was introduced, after which black with 

 white in the face, on the tail, and white feet became the 



