BERKSHIRES. 3OQ 



Siamese and Neapolitan crosses were used, more especially the 

 first mentioned. 



V. The early improvers of Berkshires. 



(1) The very earliest of the improvers of the breed are 

 unknown. 



(2) Prominent among the early improvers stand the 

 names of Richard Astley, of Oldstonehall, and Lord Bar- 

 rington. 



(3) Among the more noted of the later improvers the 

 names of W. Hewer, Sevenhampton, Rev. H. Bailey, Swindon, 

 and Russell Swanwick, Cirencester, may be mentioned. 



VI. Two classes of Berkshires. 



(1) In one of these the color is white, of which the Coles- 

 hill and Windsor breeds are examples. 



(2) In the other, now more commonly known as the 

 Berkshire, the color is black, with some white markings. 



VII. Distribution in Britain. 



(1) Berkshires are most numerously bred in the south- 

 western and midland counties of England, but they are kept in 

 other counties in considerable numbers. 



(2) They have effected great improvement on several of 

 the native races of Ireland, and have also found their way into 

 Scotland. 



VIII. Distribution in other countries. 



(1) They have been exported to foreign countries more 

 extensively than any other British breed, more especially to 

 the United States and Canada. 



(2) They were probably imported into America in 1823, 

 but the date usually given is 1832. 



IX. Organizations. 



(1) The American Berkshire Association was organized 

 in 1875, and the National Berkshire Record Association in 1893. 



(2) The recording of Berkshires in Canada commenced 

 in 1876. 



X. Distribution in the United States and 

 Canada. 



(1) Berkshires are kept in all, or nearly all, the states of 

 the Union and in all the provinces of Canada. 



(2) They are numerously kept in the province of Ontario 



