EARLY MATURITY. — SIZE. 363 



generally regarded as too small for profit except to 

 those who breed for stock, their extraordinary fattening 

 qualities and their early maturity adapt them eminently 

 for crossing with the larger breeds. The form of the 

 well-built Suffolk, when not too closely inbred, is a 

 model of compactness, and lightness of bone and offal. 

 Though often too short in the body, a large-boned 

 female will generally correct this fault, and produce an 

 offspring suited to the wants of the dairy farmer. 



The Berkshire is also mixed in with the Chinese, and 

 owes no small part of its valuable chaiacteristics to that 

 race. The Berkshires, as a breed, often attain consider- 

 able size and weight. 



The improved Essex are the favorites of some, and 

 for early maturity they are difficult to surpass. Some 

 think they require greater care and better feeding than 

 the Berkshire. 



What is wanted is to unite, so far as possible, the 

 early maturity and the facility to take on fat of the 

 Suffolk, the Chinese, or the Essex, with a tendency at 

 the same time to make flesh as well as fat ; or, in other 

 words, to attain a good growth and size, and to fatten 

 easily when the time comes to put them down. The 

 Chinese or the Suffolk are but ill adapted for hams and 

 bacon ; but, crossed upon the kind of hog already 

 described, the produce will be likely to be valuable. 



The most judicious practical farmers are now fully 

 satisfied, I think, that the tendency, for the last ten 

 years, in the Eastern States more especially, has been 

 to bleed too fine ; and that the result of this error has 

 been to cover our swine with fat at a very early age, 

 and before they have attained a respectable size. In 

 other words, the flesh and bone have been too far 

 sacrificed to fat. A reaction has already taken place 

 in the opinions on this point, and perhaps some cau- 



