BREEDS OF SWINE. 957 



^Toad ; hams full and deep ; legs short, and well set under the body for 

 bearing the weight ; coat thin, white, and straight ; (if a little wavy it is 

 no objection) ; small tail and no bristles. 



XIII. The Poland China. 



There has been much controversy over the origin and improvement of 

 this breed of swine, and in some instances much acrimony. They have 

 nevertheless held their own among the reputable breeds of the West, 

 have been largely improved within the last fifteen years by infusion of 

 Berkshire blood, and are now probably more widely disseminated west 

 of the AUeghanies than any other breed except the Berkshires. The 

 American Swine Breeders' Association give their history and character- 

 istics as follows : 



In 181G, the Shakers of Union Village, Warren county, O., purchased 

 at Philadelphia one boar and three sows, of what was, at the time, be- 

 lieved to be pure China. They were called Big China hogs. Subse- 

 quently other China hogs were introduced and extensively used. The 

 Shakers and other judicious breeders in Warren and Butler counties con- 

 tiimed to cross them with the Russian and Byfield blood, that had long 

 been in use there, and produced, by repeated crosses, a hog of exceedingly 

 fine qualities for that period, which was generally known as the Warren 

 county hog. 



This condition of the breed continued until about the year 1835 or 1836, 

 when the Berkshires were introduced. Other lots of Berkshires contin- 

 ued to come into the Miami Valley until about 1841. The Berkshire 

 blood was liberally infused into the stock existing not only in Southwest- 

 ern Ohio, but in Kentucky also. 



Crossing with the Berkshires was ahnost exclusively done until about 

 1838 or 1839, when Mr. William Neff, of Cincinnati, imported some 

 choice specimens of the Irish Grazier. This breed soon grew into high 

 favor, and, as a consequence, was liberally used in making crosses with the 

 best specimens of the crosses previously made. This crossing of breeds 

 continued for some time. In a few years, however, the use of the pure 

 l)looded Berkshire was entirely discontinued, and there were no further 

 importations made of the Irish Grazier. 



For more than thirty years no new blood has been introduced into this 

 broed, and no effort made to obtain a new supply of the blood of either 

 breed previously used. While this is true, the breeders have net been in- 

 different to the further improvement of the breed. 



The best specimens have good length ; short legs ; broad, straight backs : 

 deep sides, flanking well down on the leg ; very broad, full, square hams 

 ind shoulders ; drooping ears ; short heads, wide between the eyes, of 



