Ill 



total of 111 Owing to their black skin and hair, Berkshires are 

 comparatively unaffected by a strong sun, a very important point in 

 their favour in many of the countries to which they are exported 



Value for Crossing. It can safely be said that no breed of pigs 

 has been more used for crossing purposes, and none has been found 

 more useful for refining coarser animals. 



Berkshire Pigs at the Smithfield Show, 1902-1911. 



t 1907-1911 only. 



THE LARGE BLACK. 



The Large Black breed has only been officially recognised since 

 the incorpoiation of the Breed Society in 1899, but there is ample 

 evidence that the Large Black Pig, with its characteristic whole 

 colour, length, fine hair, lop ear, and great grazing capacity, has 

 existed for many generations. It was originally found chiefly in 

 the western counties of Devon and Cornwall and the eastern 

 counties of Suffolk and Essex, and naturally there were at first 

 variations in the type of stock bred in such widely separated 

 districts, but with the interchange of blood which has taken place, 

 general uniformity has been obtained, and a definite scale of points 

 has been .drawn up by the Breed Society. 



Characteristics of the Large Black. A detailed list of points is 

 given in the volumes of the Herd Book. The colour should be a 

 whole black, the skin fine and soft, and covered with a moderate 

 quantity of straight silky hair. The head should be of medium 

 length, wide between the ears which should be inclined well forward 

 over the face. A narrow forehead, " dished nose," thick, coarse, 

 or pricked ears, and a coarse or curly bristly mane are regarded 

 as objectionable, while any colour other other than black 

 disqualifies. 



Large Blacks possess great length and depth of body, width 

 across the back, and good hams. They are rapid in growth, and 

 the great weight to which they were formerly fed has given way to 

 greater quality, so that they now yield at an early age a long deep- 

 sided carcase of from 160 Ib. to 190 Ib. dead weight, light in 

 shoulder, jowl and offal, showing a large proportion of lean meat 

 and producing well-streaked bacon. Large Blacks are hardy and 

 docile, while the natural carriage of the ears well forward over 

 the eyes induces a quietness of habit which renders them peculiarly 



