Ch. XLL] ON BREEDS. 509 



desirous of obtaining a cross with tliat race, and they are consequently 

 now dispersed over the most distant parts of the countrv. Some of the 

 best of these crosses are said to be found in Staffordshire, from tlie progeny 

 of an animal weli known to pig-breeders as the " Tamworth Boar." The 

 native breed is also usually crossed at intervals, either with the pure 

 Chinese, or theTonquin race ; and a gentleman, who has studied the native 

 breed for many years, asserts, that if not crossed once in six or seven ge- 

 nerations Vvith the Indian stock, they would degenerate in shape and 

 quality*. 



The crosses from this breed are indeed so numerous, that any attempt to 

 distinguish them would be unavailing, as almost every county has some pe- 

 culiar native sort, v/hich is vaunted in its own district, and decried in every 

 other ; but as their respective value does not, as in other kinds of stock, 

 depend on soil and situation, these differences of opinion, when not 

 confirmed by comparative experiments, can only be ascribed to prejudice. 

 The cross with the Chinese has, however, produced a species which pos- 

 sesses very superior qualities, and is called the " Tonkey," or, more pro- 

 perly, the Tonquiii ; and a few other demand notice, as having partly 

 risen to the rank of distinctive breeds. For instance — 



The Essex half- blacks, which were some years ago introduced bv the 

 late Lord Western, as descendants from the Berkshire, have now justly 

 acquired such very great celebrity as to be considered by manv good judges 

 superior to most breeds in the kingdom. " They are black and white, 

 short-haired, fine-skinned, with smaller heads and ears than the Berkshire, 

 but feathered with inside hair, which is a distinctive mark of both ; have 

 short snubby noses, very fine bone, broad and deep in the belly, full in the 

 hind-quarters, but light in the bone and oil'al. They feed remarkably quick, 

 grow fast, and are of an excellent quality of meat: the sows are good 

 breeders, and bring litters from eight to twelve, but they have the character 

 of being bad nursest." 



A breed partaking of the Essex blood, and generally known as the 

 •' Essex and Hertford Breed," has also been brought forward by tiiat cele- 

 brated breeder, Mr. Dodd, of Chenies, in Buckinghamshire, and is de- 

 servedly held in high estimation. He exhibited one some years ago at the 

 Smithfield Cattle Show, which was taken from the sow on the 12th of Fe- 

 bruary, at seven weeks and three days old, and was slaughtered on the 

 26th of December ; his live weight being 48 st. 6 lb., and the carcase, 

 exclusive of head and offal, 40 st, 7 lb. 



The Suffolk and Norfolk have been long in repute as a hardy and pro- 

 lific species, though of only moderate or rather small size, and when crossed 

 with either the Berkshire or the Dishley breed, produce animals which are 

 in very general esteem. They fatten quickly, but their shape is not con- 

 sidered, by the London distillers, valuable for making bacon ; and they 

 prefer the Yorkshire sort, as being handsomer |. 



The Shropshire hog is one of the largest breeds in the kingdom, and 

 was therefore much in request by farmers when they used to feed their ser- 

 vants at their own table ; for there can be little doubt that the larger the 

 species, the more profitable they will be found in production. They 

 have been commonly fed to thirty score weight, and we have heard of one, 



* Berkshire Report, p. 403. 



f See the Easex Report, vol. ii. p. 341 : also the Complete Grazier, Gth ecUt. p, 295, in 

 vvliich there is a portrait of a sow of the breed. 

 I Stevenson's Surrey, p. 537. 



