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enough, especially for packing down for fishermen, who would 

 be glad to have their pork all fat, and whom I have seen spread 

 their uncooked salted fat pork, as landsmen spread butter, on 

 their bread. 



The former objection is not made by all persons, as many 

 would prefer for their tables the pork of a hog weighing 300 

 lbs. to that of hogs weighing 600 lbs., of which I have seen 

 many in our market. With respect to the latter objection, I 

 was half disposed at first to consider it as mere caprice, but that 

 E. Phinney, of Lexington, a farmer in this matter "not un- 

 known to fame," — and another most respectable farmer of 

 Franklin county, admit that there is some truth in it ; and they, 

 as well as many others, prefer a cross to the pure blood. The 

 impression is becoming general, and the butchers in Q,uincy 

 market are unanimous in their unfavorable opinion of the Berk- 

 shire hogs. They admit that their hams and shoulders are 

 good for bacon ; but their backs, where they most require it, 

 have no depth of fatness, and they are therefore unsuitable for 

 salting. They are good breeders and nurses. They may be 

 kept, therefore, to much advantage where the object is to raise 

 roasting pigs for the market. This is sometimes quite profita- 

 ble where a sow has two litters a year. A roast pig, only wean- 

 ed by the knife, has from time immemorial been deemed a most 

 luxurious dish. So it is likely to continue to be. Charles 

 Lamb says that the Chinese never knew the lusciousnsss of a 

 roasted pig until an accidental fire occurred which destroyed a 

 pig-stye with its inhabitants. In pulling the bodies of these 

 poor creatures burnt to a crisp from the fire, some of the skin 

 or flesh adhered to the fingers of the Chinese, and in putting 

 their hands by chance to their mouths, they for the first time in 

 iheir lives inhaled the odor and tasted the deliciousness of the 

 roasted skin. After that, the accidental burning of pig-styes 

 became so common that the civil authorities were compelled to 

 interpose. 



It is but just, however, to the Berkshires to say, that the un- 

 favorable impression in regard to them, though general, is not 



