52 HARRIS OX THE PIG. 



the pure Chinese. Certain it is, that the pure Chinese 

 pigs are now seldom, if ever, resorted to by English 

 breeders. They find it more advantageous to resort to 

 pure-bred boars of some of their own established breeds, 

 although there is probably none of these breeds that have 

 not, at one time or other, been crossed with the Chinese. 

 It is a mistake, however, to speak of them, on this ac- 

 count, as "cross-bred " pigs, as is sometimes done. They 

 have been bred pure long enough to become fully estab- 

 lished. 



The history of the Improved Essex Pig is of great in- 

 terest, because better authenticated than that of any other 

 breed. 



The old Essex breed is described by Loudon as " up- 

 eared, with long, sharp heads, roach-backed, carcasses 

 flat, long, and generally high upon the leg, bone not large, 

 color, white, or black and white, bare of hair, quick feed- 

 ers, but great consumers, and of an unquiet disposition." 



Lord Western, while traveling in Italy, saw some Nea- 

 politan pigs, and came to the conclusion that they were 

 just what he wanted to improve the breed of Essex pigs. 

 He describes them, in a letter to Earl Spencer, as " a 

 breed of very peculiar and valuable qualities, the flavor 

 of the meat being excellent, and the disposition to fatten 

 on the smallest quantity of food unrivaled." He pro- 

 curred a pair of thorough-bred Neapolitans, and crossed 

 them with Essex sows, and probably with black Sussex 

 and Berkshires. He obliterated the white from the old 

 Essex, and obtained a breed of these cross-bred pigs that 

 could scarcely be distinguished from the pure-bred Nea- 

 politans. 



These Neapolitan-Essex had great success at agricul- 

 tural fairs, but as Lord Western continued to breed from 

 his own stock, selecting the most highly refined males 

 and females, they " gradually lost size, muscle, and con- 

 stitution, and consequently fecundity ; and at the time 



