BREEDING HOGS. 621 



packer's use. 2. They have a hardy, vigorous constitution and a 

 good coat of hair, protecting the skin so well that it hardly ever 

 freezes or blisters, either in extreme cold or hot weather. 3. They 

 are quiet and good grazers, and fatten well and quickly at any age. 

 4. They are prolific and good mothers, and the young never vary in 

 color, and so little in shape that their form when matured may be 

 determined in advance by an inspection of the sire and dam. 



Chester County Whites This is the best known and 

 most popular breed of pigs perhaps in the United States. It is 

 large, rather coarse, hardy, of sound coustituti ;m, and well adapted 

 to the mode of business to which most farmers are accustomed. A 

 desirable cross is a Chester White with a thoroughbred Essex, Berk- 

 shire or small Yorkshire boar. If the first cross does not yield 

 pigs which have a sufficient refinement, and the tendency to early 

 maturing and rapid fattening which is sought, the best sows of that 

 litter should be se lo cted for breeding and themselves crossed with a 

 thoroughbred, when the best results may be looked for. If it is 

 desirable to raise pigs which may be slaughtered at the age of four or 

 five me he second litter may be again crossed as before 



to goott'a'uva^i.Age. Hog breeders ordinarily consider that this is as 

 far as in-and-in breeding should extend. 



Cheshire or Jefferson County Hogs These are white 



hogs, quite as large as the Chester and d idedly handsomer, and 



distinguished by fine hair, short snout, we ^-developed jowl, and 



small bones. It is claimed to be a breed originated in Jefferson 



County, N. Y., but is decidedly a derivative of the Yorkshire breed. 



It is valuable to cross with the Chester, and also with the Berkshire, 



' -but the product will not be so large as with the 



lers, editor of the National Live-Stock Journal, 



ilme, I regarded them as among the best of h >gs. 



**+ Paired, had a very delicate pink skin, and ^neir 



meat'\vas-jj^.fJU6u;ellent, tender and juicy." 



The-Pr . d-Chinas This is a favorite breed with the 

 farmers 1 <oil the Northwest and West. Asi from all the prevalent 

 disputes as to its origin, the fact remains , ..at it is one of the best 

 getters of good pork nogs, and that it cancbe relied upon to answer 

 the purposes which the pork raiser has in view, in size, mildness, 

 strength and constitution, while in prepotency as to color and feed- 

 ing qualities, it has no equal. It can be crossed to good advantage 

 with well-bred Berkshires. Poland-China sows produce what are 

 said to be as good feeding and fattening hogs as can be found in . my 

 country, when crossed with well-bred Berkshire boars. In his val- 

 uable work on " The Hog," Dr. Chase says, concerning this breed, 

 that while he would not deem it wise for a small farmer, or one who 

 fattens but a few hogs each year, to keep Poland-Chinas^ the 

 farmer who raises and fattens from twenty to one hundred head a 

 year, or more than that number, cannot, in his judgment, find a hog 

 which is superior to this breed. Coburn, in his book on "Swine 



