BREEDS OF SWINE. 955 



broad hams, well let down. The skin, as well as the hair, is white, al- 

 though !iu occasional one may De found having a few dark-blae spots on 

 the skin, but never dark or black hairs. 



Lancashire Middle-Breed. — This breed is one which partakes of the 

 quality of the small breed and the size of the large breed. Middle bred 

 hogs are got by crossing large bred sows with small bred boars, but all 

 attempts to attain the same results by reversing this operation, and putting 

 large bred boars to small bred sows have proved failures. The largest of 

 the middle bred sows are used to improve the large breed. Their char- 

 acteristics are : The small bred hog must have small bones ; a short face ; 

 silky hair ; fine, small, upright ears ; a comparatively square form ; must 

 have good square hams, the most valuable part of the hog; must carry 

 the meat near tlic ground ; flat on the back ; straight and cubic in form. 



Lancasllire Large Breed. — These hogs have large bones, are of great 

 height and length, and are the largest breed of swine known. They are 

 a true breed, and breed constant to color and characteristics. These are : 

 Large size, great length ; flat back, with large square hams when fattened ; 

 must carry tlicir width of back along over the hams ; must have deep and 

 tolerably straight sides, large feet and leg bones ; hair short ; may have 

 a long face, but it had better be short, as tliey fatten better ; may have 

 a large, drooping ear, but, other qualities and size being eciual, an 

 upright, smaller ear preferred. They usually have a long, thick, strong 

 tail ; must be of great weight when fattened, and above all must be des- 

 cended from a hog having the foregoing qualities, and, if a breeder, must 

 ptoduce them. They are short of hair, but still are hearty. A middle 

 bred hog must have a short face, and all other good (jualities of the small 

 breed, except tiiat they may be longer in proportion to their width ; must 

 have thicker legs and longer bones to carry the greater size ; should be 



well haired. 



XI. American Breeds. 



The American breeds in best repute are: The Chester White, which 

 originated in rcnnsylvania ; the Poland-China, which originated in Ohio; 

 Jersey Reds, originated in New Jersey ; the Duroc, originated in New 

 York ; and Cheshire, originated in New York. These, however, as 

 previously stated, are only modified Yorkshires. Of those breeds the 

 Chester- VYhite and Poland-China have been most widely disseminated. 



XH. The Chester White. 



This breed originated in Chester County, Pa., and is recorded to have 

 been brought about as follows ; The first impulse to the improvement 

 of swine in that county vras given by the mtroduction of a pair of fine 

 pigs;, brought from Bedfordshire, England, by Capt. James Jeffries, and 



