BREEDS AND TYPES 4 1 



The Poland-China is a large breed hog, weighing at 

 maturity, alive, 500 to 1,000 pounds. It has reasonably 

 early maturity and is much liked throughout the corn- 

 producing sections of the United States For crossii^g 

 1j\- other, breeds the Poland-China sows have a popularity 

 nut surpassed by those of any other. They have 

 the liardiness, docility and good feeding qualities that 

 ])reeders like, and Poland-China sires transmit these qual- 

 ities to their get from sows of any breed. For these 

 reasons by far the greater part of the marketed hogs in 

 the United States have Poland-China blood. 



In some ways the refinement of this breed, or rather 

 some families of it, has been carried too far, and their 

 breeders are severely criticised for over-developing fan- 

 ciful points to the exclusion or neglect of others more 

 important, resulting in diminished size, vigor and prolifi- 

 cacy; but the tendency at the present writing is to guard 

 against or overcome this by more intelligent management. 



Prior to about the year 1870 the Poland-Chinas a\'er- 

 aged larg-er than now, were inclined to coarseness, or 

 sponginess of bone, had much heavier, drooping ears, and 

 were spotted with about even proportions of black and 

 white. Since then the tendency each year has been to 

 breed them with more black, until now those in highest 

 esteem ha\-e identically the color and markings so long 

 characteristic of tlie Berkshires, viz., solid black, with 

 white feet, white tip of tail, a little white on or about 

 the face and jowl, and occasionally a splash of wliite 

 elsewhere. Their ears are medium or small in size, but 

 still drooping, and are plial)le and silky. A. C. Moore 



