MIDDLE-BEED WHITE PIGS. 471 



sorts, is in a good position to found a middle breed of superior 

 merits. Like all other crosses, a considerable interval must 

 elapse, and careful selection be practised, before uniformity of 

 character can be established, although in the case of pigs the 

 operations are much more rapid than with cattle or sheep. 

 The following description applies to a type of which the 

 illustrations are specimens. 



The head is longer than the small sort, but more closely 

 resembling them than the large kind, with wide forehead and 

 rather large ears. The nose is not so much turned up ; indeed, 

 the features are altogether less curved, and the cheeks are less 

 developed. The head should be well set upon the neck, and 

 the latter, though full, is not so extraordinarily wide and full 

 as in the small breed, where it frequently looks almost out of 

 proportion to the hind-quarters. The back should be long and 

 level, the tail set on rather low, the hams moderately full, and 

 the bone, though small, not noticeably fine ; long thin soft hair 

 is desirable ; depth of carcass, with well-sprung ribs ; the legs 

 being neither so short as the small breed nor so lengthy as 

 some of the large division. We should have a good combination 

 of lean and fat marbled flesh, which is so desirable for rashers. 

 This item is of great importance, and renders the sort so popular 

 at the present time. We have all the aptitude to feed of the 

 small sort, with a fair development of lean flesh, which renders 

 the animal suitable either for pork or bacon. The large breed, 

 much improved as they have undoubtedly been by such men 

 as the Messrs. Howards, Duckering, Eden, &c., are more suit- 

 able for bacon than for pork ; indeed, in the young state they 

 are anything but complete, being leggy, lathy, and skinny. 

 The small sorts are always fat, and as round as a dumpling ; 

 but then it is all fat. The middle breed, as the name implies, 

 occupy a happy medium, and are equally valuable for either 

 pork or bacon. Then, again, however much we may admire 

 the beauty and precocity of the small sort, limited breeding 

 properties are a serious drawback, they are not rent payers. 

 Middle-bred ])igs are certainly more prolific, and usually farrow 

 from nine to twelve offspring. The sows when naturally reared, 

 and not forced on for show purposes, are good mothers ; and, 

 above all, they are hardy, in this respect being very superio 



