392 A STUDY OF FARM ANIMALS 



wide back, but it lacks the spring of rib of the Poland-China 

 or Chester White, and neither does it have the high arch 

 as often seen with representatives of some other breeds. 

 The average Berkshire ham is not so round and thick as 

 with the more distinct lard-type hog, being narrow rather 

 than thick in the hind quarter. Good examples of the breed 

 are neat of bone and stand well on .their feet. The sows far- 

 row medium-sized litters, averaging about eight pigs. 



Berkshires are fair feeders, and mature just moderately 

 well under ordinary conditions. If not fed too much corn, 

 they make a grade of pork that is unsurpassed. In the corn 

 belt of America, with the feed and care given by western 

 farmers, the Berkshire may be regarded as a lard hog; while, 

 if fed a variety of grain, with corn only a moderate part of 

 the ration, it makes a superior bacon. It has always been 

 a popular breed in England, and for many years held a 

 premier position in America, but recently it has lost much 

 of its popularity in the great pork-producing sections of the 

 country, due to lack of size and a tendency to slow maturity. 

 Berkrihires have their greatest hold to-day in the eastern 

 United States and the South. In spite of its loss in prestige, 

 the breed is noted for its very superior pork, and in carcass 

 contests at the International Live Stock Exposition, and at 

 the Smithfield Show in England, it has an unsurpassed 

 record for winning championships. 



The Poland-China is an American breed of swine that 

 originated in southwestern Ohio in Butler and Warren 

 counties. This is a rolling country, and produces extensive 

 fields of corn, wheat, and grass. There is no better region 

 in America in which to raise hogs. In that section the early 

 settlers kept large numbers of hogs, fed off their corn, and 

 drove the hogs overland to the Cincinnati market. Differ- 

 ent so-called breeds came into Ohio, including the Russian, 

 Byfield, Big China, Irish Grazier, and Berkshire, the latter 

 being taken to the state in 1835. From this mixture, in 



