462 



THE PIGS OF GREAT BRITAIN. 



he proceeds to say that he has seen surprising improvements 

 resulting from better care, shelter, and food, where no fresh 

 blood was introduced. In these cases the thick flop ears became 

 fine and thin, the bones a moderate size, bristles gave place to 

 hair, and the white skin became fine and ruddy. 



Those of our readers who are old enough to have taken an 

 interest in the earlier shows of the Royal Agricultural Society, 

 from its commencement in 1835 to 1850, will remember to have 

 seen enormous sj)ecimens of white pigs, often weighing as much 

 as a small bullock — we ourselves remember specimens estimated 

 at 50 imperial stones. These animals were esteemed for the 

 quality of the bacon, for their hardy and prolific character, 

 the litters often reaching sixteen to eighteen; but they were 

 incapable of early maturity, and consumed a quantity of food. 

 Those intended for bacon were kept in a store state until at 

 least eighteen months old, and then if fed for a twelvemonth 

 something remarkable was produced ; but, had the cost been 

 calculated, the profits would have been much over the left. Of 

 late years great improvement has been effected by careful 

 selection and by more attention to feeding. It is said that 

 Bakewell was the first to improve the Leicestershire pigs, and 

 this by a process similar to that which proved so successful in 

 the case of the long-horned cattle and the Leicester sheep — viz., 

 by selection, discarding the large, coarse animals, and selecting 

 such as were more symmetrical and finer of bone. It is probable 

 that the first step in the improvement of the Yorkshire was 

 through the improved Leicestershire pigs ; certain it is that at 

 one time they were particularly uncultivated, and are described 

 as " of large size, gaunt, greedy, and unthrifty ; coarse in the 

 quality of the meat, flat-sided, and huge-boned." 



It is somewhat invidious to particularise when merit is due 

 to so many; but we must name the late Mr. Wainmaii, of 

 Carrheads, as one of the leading improvers of the large York- 

 shire. Eor many years his successes in the showyard were 

 considerable. His factotum, Mr. Fisher, is still often seen 

 as a judge. It was shortly after Mr. Wainman's fame was 

 established that a Lincolnshire breeder began to creep up. The 

 name of Mr. Duckering, of Kirton Lindsey, became familiar in 

 the shows, and few have been on the whole more successful. 



