3 i HARRIS OX THE PIG. 



ness, if judiciously conducted; but the ordinary tenant 

 farmer will generally find that a cross-bred sheep, a cross- 

 bred pig, and even a cross-bred ox, in the first cross, fat- 

 tens more profitably than a pure-bred animal." 



That this is the general opinion among practical farmers 

 there can be no doubt. But there is no advantage in 

 crossing merely for the sake of crossing. There should 

 be an object in view. We should aim to improve the 

 form, early maturity and fattening qualities of the off- 

 spring. In doing this, the tendency always is towards 

 reducing the size. Bakewell reduced the size of the Lei- 

 cester sheep, and Ellman of the Southdowns. Fisher 

 Hobbs reduced the size of the original Essex pigs by using 

 Lord Western's Neapolitan-Essex boars on selected Essex 

 sows of large size, with good constitutions, and enormous 

 eaters. The Berkshire pig was originally " a much larger 

 and coarser animal than now." The small Leicesters were 

 " the great improvers of the gigantic Yorks." 



" What, then," it may bo asked, " have we gained by the 

 improvement ?" We have gained this : While the size to 

 which the animal would attain at maturity has been reduced, 

 yet we can get a much greater weight, with less offal, in 

 a given time, and with a far less consumption of food. 

 An improved Essex pig at three years old will not weigh 

 as much as the original unimproved pig at the same age, 

 and with the same food. But at one year old the improv- 

 ed Essex can be made to weigh as much as the other would 

 at eighteen months or two years. They have, or ought 

 to have, the digestive powers of the large, old breed, com- 

 bined with the small bones, little offal, early maturity, 

 and fattening qualities of the Neapolitan Essex. They 

 can eat a large quantity of food, and convert it rapidly 

 into pork of the highest quality. 



We say they ought to be great eaters, and have power- 

 ful digestive organs. But the high feeding necessary to 

 develop the fattening qualities in a breed, is apt to weaken 



