THE FARMERS' REGISTER. 



77 



left, to protest against their being thus unceremo- 

 niously killed ott without benefit of clergy. In- 

 deed, at this time, when, with the versaiiliiy pe- 

 culiar to American character, the agriculiura! 

 press is teeming with anti-Berkshire essays, con- 

 demning, in louder tones than ever were uttered 

 in its favor, the whole breed, as a Merino sheep, 

 multicaulis humbug, it mig^l seem almost pre- 

 gumptuous, even in one who has tried them, to 

 endeavor to stem the torrent. Ii seems unlbrtu- 

 nate that, on the introduction of any ihmg new, 

 either in agriculture, science, or the arts, in the 

 thermometer ofpublic o[)iiiion, the mercury, starl- 

 ing at zero, must rush up immediately and rapidly 

 throughout its whole range, and all the way back 

 to the starting point, and even below it helbre it 

 finally attains its proper siaie ol'quiescence. Par- 

 ticularly on the introduction of a new breed of ani- 

 mals, we seize on them with great avidity from 

 the mere novelty, invest thein with exiravagam 

 and supernatural qualities, proclaim the wonderful 

 things ihey are to do, and when at last they liili 

 short of these calculations, the whole affair is pro- 

 nounced a " Merino, multicaulis humbug." From 

 being placed in the first instance lar above their 

 merits, they are next placed lar below them. 

 This, in the United Slates, is always the moiJiis 

 operandi of introducing new breeds of slock to 

 farmers, who, alter passing through the high lever 

 stage of heavy profits, and down again to the 

 cold or collapse, at last finally settle in a medium 

 temperature, and give to the new breed whatever 

 is its just value. To this process Berksliires must 

 submit. R. S. B., in the communication relerred 

 to, does not make the true issue. He says one ol 

 his neighbors put up two Berkehires and two 

 common hogs in a stable to feed, and that the 

 common ones outweighed the others. This is 

 very probable, but does not prove the main point, 

 that the Berkshire^, did not return the greatest 

 weight for the quantity of food consumed, Berk- 

 shire breeders do not contend that generally they 

 attain such great weights as other hogs, but that 

 a given amount of food will make a greater 

 quantity of pork ; that if it does not feed such 

 large hogs, it will lieed a greater number. I have 

 so lully satisfied myself of this point, that, although 

 owning some very fine ones of' the Chester county 

 breed, 1 have killed them ofl^, and intend keeping 

 nothing but the thorough-bred Berkshire. At 

 about 12 months old they will weigh from 200 to 

 260 Ihs., being ready for slaughter at any period 

 of their growth, and requiring at last but a lew 

 days' feeding upon corn to harden the meat. The 

 shape of the true Berkshire is perfect, Ibrming tlie 

 beau ideal of a perfect animal ; the bone fine, the 

 head and all the ofial parts very small, the most 

 valuable parts, the hams and shoulders, full, round 

 and large. Occasionally it is admitted tliat they 

 have not sufficient depth, but this is only an ex- 

 ception. Where it occurs, the owner must rem.e- 

 dy it by careflil selection. This cannot be made 

 a valid objection, for there is no breed, however 

 pure and perfect, of any animals, but that some- 

 thing must depend on the judgment and talent of 

 the breeder to keep so, and to remedy any occa- 

 sional or inherent defect. Something approach- 

 ing the barrel form must of necessity accompany 

 the quality of easy feeding. In regard to size, 

 the farmers here who feed a few every fall lor 

 P'^'iadelphia market, besides what is wanted for 



home consumption, find that a hog weighing from 

 150 to 250 lbs. is the most saleable and brings the 

 best price. The Berkshires make just the weight 

 wanted for family use. Whether in Northampton 

 county, where grain is lower than l)ere, they can- 

 not afford to waste it on large consumers, which 

 will carry to market greater weight and size, is 

 for him to say. Another characierisiic of the 

 Berkshire is the superior quality of the meat. In 

 this at least ihvi ^ is no mistake. Berkshire hams 

 are well known in Philadelphia lor their superior 

 flavor and richness. 'I'liey are lemarkabl}' free 

 from far, and are no less known by their handsome 

 rotund shape, than by their tender and juicy qua- 

 lities. A slice ol Berkshire ham, properly cured, 

 is a daiuty morsel appreciated by a connoisseur. 

 Another recon niendaiicn is the great lecundity of 

 the breed, producing from 8 to 15 at a litter, and 

 ihe (act ol iheir being most excellent nurses. By 

 a most unaceouniab e mistake, R. S. B. objects to 

 them on this very head, and says ihcy are not 

 prolific, that lour of his neighbor's sows had but 

 one each, and that generally they have but lour or 

 five. 1 have raised Berkshires lor several years, 

 have sold numbers of them, noi only in this neigh- 

 borhood, but to gentlemen at a disiance, and as 

 (ar as my experience and observation go, would 

 say ihey are not more noied lor their black color 

 than lor their succccs in salely rearing a full ave- 

 rage number. 



The true question then at is.=iie, at least in 

 this section of country, is, ichnt breed of hogs 

 will return the greatest weight for the quan- 

 tity of food consumed. Here lies the profit 

 more than in the individual weight. A email, 

 well-made animal may bring more money to the 

 larmer, than one ol twice hie siz ■, from the dil- 

 li?rence in the liatieiiing property. It is generally 

 admitied that very large animals are not profita- 

 ble. They may do to grace the columns of a 

 paper, and gratily those who have a penchant 

 that way, witlioui regard to ihe expensive process, 

 but they will not suit the common liirmer. 1 once 

 was seized with ihis desire to leed a large hog; 

 I purchased of a breed well known (or attaining 

 immense weights, but was completely cured. 

 It weighed between five and six hundred, and 

 consumed as much (ood as I am since satisfied 

 would have fatiened double the weight of Berk- 

 shires. It is a satisfaction to ihe early friends of 

 the Berkshires, to observe that public opinion in 

 respect to them has passed through the collapse 

 state ; that wherever the pure breed exists, preju- 

 dices even against color are rapidly dying away ; 

 and tha' they are slowly but surely creeping into 

 favor, and earning the emphaiic appellation of 

 the farmer's hog. One thing undoubtedly which 

 has retarded and still retards their reputation is 

 the vast number which, since they were first in- 

 troduced, have been palmed off as genuine 

 Berkshires, having very little iC any of that blood. 

 The cause of this is to be found in the high 

 prices at which they were sold, $30 and ^40 per 

 pair, and the absurd rule for testing purity, that 

 they must be precisely of a certain shade of color, 

 having so many while feet, and so many white 

 hairs in the tail ; thus inviting imposture, and 

 inducing persons, wherever they could obtain 

 these marks, which often appertain to a half or 

 three-quarter blood, as well as to the full blood, 

 to pass them for genuine Berkshires. A cross 



