474 THE PIGS OF GREAT BRITAIN. 



factory. About this time he happened to go to the Baker-street 

 show, and, believing his own pigs to be better than any he saw 

 there, the following year he became an exhibitor, and won 

 every prize for which he entered, as well as a gold medal. As 

 before stated, this success has attended him twenty-four years 

 out of twenty-five, up to the last show, when he was awarded 

 first and second prizes in the young class.* Mr. Coate has 

 held his position by purchasing good sows whenever opportu- 

 nities offered, and mating them with his own boars, endeavouring 

 to obtain size from the strangers, at the same time retaining the 

 beauty of form and quality of his own breed. 



What CoUings and Bates did for shorthorn cattle, Coate and 

 Smith have done for black Dorset pigs. The latter gentleman 

 (also distinguished as one of the best breeders of Devon cattle) 

 appears to have turned his attention to pigs about the same 

 time as Mr. Coate. In the year 1845 he possessed a good black 

 sow with Chinese blood in her veins, descended from stock the 

 property of the late Earl Poulett. With her he used a boar 

 bred by the late Fisher Hobbs, and from this source he has 

 produced pigs that have made his name famous, and won him 

 numerous prizes at Eoyal as well as local shows. He has 

 imparted fresh vigour to his herd by occasionally availing 

 himself of the best blood to be obtained from other breeders, 

 including Mr. Coate, and produces animals unsurpassed for 

 symmetry, quality, aptitude to fatten, and fecundity. 



The improved black Dorset pigs have many admirers, both in 

 and out of the county ; they are hardy, greatly incline to fatten, 

 and in fact can be grazed at any age. They come to a good 

 size, having been made 15 score (dead weight) at 9 months 

 old, and more than double that weight at 18 months. Few pigs 

 of other varieties would maintain the condition they do on 

 similar fare, and they are generally productive, and bring good 

 litters. 



A few hints on their breeding and management may not be 

 out of place. The young sow, not less than twelve months old, 

 should receive the boar about the end of March, or beginning 

 of April, and produce but one litter the first year ; after that she 



*Thi8 was written in 1872. Since then many laurels have been added to 

 the long list at Hammoon. 



