508 BRITISH HUSBANDRY. [Ch. XLI. 



species, vvliicli tliey otherwise resemble in form ; and otliers, witli the ears 

 rounded and hanging down. Tliese last are, in every respect, coarser than 

 the former ; but they are remarkably prolific ; are good nurses ; and, with 

 proper care, will bring up two litters within the year. They are, however, only 

 valuable as breeding-sows and roasters ; for they are very indifferent store- 

 pigs, rarely attaining any great weight, and infinitely more difficult to fatten 

 than the original stock*. 



The Rudgeivick breed, thougli reared for ages on the borders of Surrey 

 and Sussex, and famous for their enormous size, yet do not appear to liave 

 spread much beyond the counties in which they are usually bred. They de- 

 serve, however, to be more extensively known ; for they are the largest kind 

 in Britain, being not uncommonly seen as heavy as fat Sussex oxen, and 

 are usually fed, without any peculiar care, to an average of full 70 stone 

 at two years old. Indeed, some of them are mentioned in the county re- 

 ports as having been fed, at that age, by different persons to the following 

 weights : — 



llGst.. 99st., 97st., 93st., 91st.; 



and one is stated to have arrived, when three years old, to the enormous 

 weight of 182 stone t ! 



The Hampshire hog, of a white colour, has been long celebrated as 

 forming very superior bacon ; but its character has been acquired more from 

 its being fed, when young, upon the mast which abounds in the New 

 Forest, and other wood-lands, and the mode of curing it, than from any 

 inherent excellence in the breed of its native county : being a coarse, raw- 

 boned, flat-sided animal; but fatting kindly. Very few, however, of the 

 genuine native hog are now to be met with, the common stock being 

 either the Berkshire breed, or a considerable predominance of that blood 

 in the native swine of the county ; and subsequent crosses with that as 

 well as with the Suffolk and Chinese breeds, have produced an animal 

 of a hardy nature, prone to get fat at an early age, and always to keep 

 in a good condition in a store state, A dash of the Leicester, Dishley stock, 

 has also been lately much in repute for the use of large farming establish- 

 ments, with a view of increasing the size, as the native race when fattened 

 seldom exceed eighteen, and rarely arrive at twenty score weighty. 



The Berkshire hog is of a reddish-brown colour, with black spots ; the 

 head well placed, with large ears generally standing forward, though some- 

 times hanging over the eyes. He is short-legged, small-boned, and of a 

 rough, curly coat, wearing the appearance of indicating both skin and flesh 

 of a coarse quality. Nothing, however, can be finer than the bacon, and 

 the animals attain to very great size, having not uncommonly reached the 

 weight of more than 100 stone ; but from 40 to 50, when completely 

 fattened, is ihe general average§. 



The breed has, indeed, obtained such unqualified approbation from the best 

 judges, that those who wish to improve their stock of swine, are very generally 



* Complete Grazier, 6th edit. p. 293. 



f Middlesex Report, 2nd edit. p. 488. Malcolm's Surrey, Kent, and Sussex, vol. i. 

 p. 454. Stevenson's Surrey, p. 538. 



J Vancouver's Hampshire, p. 378. 



§ See CuUey, p. 173, and Parkinson on Live Stock, vol. ii. p. 239. Young's Survey 

 of Sussex, p. 384, which gives the particulars of one weighing 113 st.; and Wilson on 

 the Hog, the measurement and'weight of which is thus stated ; namely- 



Height . . 4 ft. 5J in. 



Length from the nose to the end 

 of the tail . .9 



Live Weiqht . 12 cwt. 2 qrs. 10 lb. 



Dead ditto . 10 3 1)^ 



