95 



small, black, almost destitute of bristles, and remarkable for aptitude 

 to fatten ; it is short in the snout, small in the bone, with sharp 

 erect ears ; but it is by no means hardy, at least in our country, and 

 if the sows happen to have litters in winter, it will be difficult, should 

 the weather be severe, to save the young pigs from dying. But as 

 a cross with some of our breeds, as the Berkshire, the JSTeapolitan 

 race is most valuable. The cross-breed exhibits improvement in form 

 without too great delicacy of constitution ; they have a remarkable 

 tendency to fatten, and though larger and stronger than the Neapol- 

 itan, display all their good qualities. The Essex breed is much 

 indebted for its excellencies to the Neapolitan intermixture.' 



IMPROVED ESSEX. 



" This is one of the most valuable breeds now known. Its estab- 

 lishment is generally credited to the late Lord Western. It has 

 of later years been extensively known in the hands of W. Fisher 

 Ilobbs, of Mark's Hall, Essex. It has, perhaps, carried more 

 prizes at the shows of the Smithfield Club within the last ten 

 years, than any other breed. As above mentioned, it was derived 

 from a cross with the Neapolitan, and inherits the color of that 



