106 BEGINNINGS IN ANIMAL HUSBANDRY 



or less along the sides. They have been greatly improved, 

 however, in recent years. As to size, the boars easily weigh 

 600 pounds, and the sows 450. Duroc-Jerseys mature fairly 

 early, and finish off in fattening at 200 to 250 pounds, at six 

 months of age. The breed has not thus far made much 

 of a showing in carcass test competition. The sows seem 

 capable of having large litters, this being the most pro- 

 lific of the lard-type breeds. Duroc-Jerseys are produced 

 more especially in the Middle-western states where corn is 

 abundant and where they are very popular. Many herds 

 of Poland-China have given way to the Duroc-Jersey. Ohio, 

 Illinois, and Iowa have more of this breed than any other 

 three states. 



The Chester White breed of hogs gets its name from 

 Chester County, Pennsylvania, where it has been bred for 

 a great many years. Claims have been made that the early 

 colonists brought over coarse white pigs to Pennsylvania. 

 In 1820 a Captain Jeffries, of Westchester, Pennsylvania, 

 brought from England some white hogs. Others of the same 

 color also found their way into that section. White hogs 

 were brought to Ohio at an early date, and the Todd family 

 in that state became noted for developing what is known as 

 Todd's Improved Chester White. During the latter part 

 of the nineteenth century, Mr. L. B. Silver, of Ohio, devel- 

 oped a strain of this breed, which is now known as the Ohio 

 Improved Chester White. This is frequently called the 

 0. I. C. hog. All these different families or blood lines, 

 however, represent the same breed, and differ only in minor 

 details. Ihe Chester White, as its name indicates, is white. 

 Occasionally, small, black spots occur on the skin. This 

 is generally the case with all white breeds known in America. 

 The head rather resembles that of the Poland-China, in that 

 the face is straight and the ears lopped over. The Chester 



