620 BREEDING HOGS. 



If you leave it till it gets too oily, you will either cheat the manu- 

 facturer, or what more often happens, you will lose in the price. 



BREEDING HOGS. 



Breeds of Hogs The Berkshires We have no native 

 American hogs, strictly speaking, as originally the entire species 

 came from Europe, and in great part from the British Isles. The 

 IMPROVED BERKSHIKES were introduced into the United States about 

 1830, and within ten years had been carried into every State in the 

 Union. When first introduced they created quite a furore among 

 the breeders, but complaint was subsequently made that they were 

 not large enough. Still it was not infrequently found that Berk- 

 shire thoroughbreds and their grades dressed four hundred pounds 

 at a year old, and that at eighteen or twenty months they could be 

 made to weigh from five hundred to six hundred pounds dressed. 

 The demand however was for larger hogs, and a reaction set in with 

 somewhat of prejudice against the breed. 



The Improved Essex to a large extent too. -. piace. This 

 breed, English writers declare to be one of the best products of the 

 small black breeds, but beyond doubt it has been greatly improved 

 as to the size and condition by the Berkshire cross. It somewhat 

 resembles the latter, and is well calculated to produce pork and 

 hams of the very finest quality. It occupies in the black breeds the 

 same place that the Cumberland Yorks do among the white; and 

 the improved Essex is sure to improve the product of any dark- 

 colored sow. Originally the Essex hog was a par 4 -' 

 black, with white shoulders, nose and legs. T 

 L^rd Western by crossing with the Neapc 

 brought from Italy. The improved Essex was _ 

 in bre< ding in the Neapolitan cross, and it is urjd . - . j <* line as 

 any that can be found-in the United States or Engird Pt this day. 

 Early maturity and @fa. excellent quality of flesh are <u,*ong the 

 merits of the Improved Essex. They produce the best "jointers," 

 and with age attain g< od weight, frequently making five hundred 

 pounds at twenty-four months old. This breed is invaluable as a 

 cross, being used to give quality and early maturity to any breed. 

 The defect, if it is such, of the Improved Essex is a certain delicacy 

 or an excessive aptitude to fatten, which, unless carefully counter- 

 acted by exercise and diet, often diminishes the fertility of the sows, 

 and causes difficulty in rearing the young. 



The Large Yorkshire The Yorkshire breed enters very 

 largely into the composition of some of the best breeds we have, and 

 which as in a sense new breeds will be considered by themselves. 

 It is believed to be the most thoroughbred hog known. It is the 

 most valuable swine to cross with for these reasons: 1. They are of 

 the size, shape and flesh that are desired for the family or the 



