IMPROVEMENT OF THE ENGLISH BREEDS OF PIGS. 53 



of his death, in 1844, while the whole district had bene- 

 fited from the cross, the Western breed had become 

 more ornamental than useful." 



In other words, while this highly refined breed was of 

 great value to cross with the large, vigorous sows in the 

 neighborhood, they were not profitable to raise pure. 

 This is the case with all highly refined, thorough-bred 

 pigs. They are not as profitable for the mere production 

 of pork as the pigs from the common sow and a thorough- 

 bred boar. It is as true to-day as it was then, that any 

 highly refined throrough-bred pigs are " more ornamental 

 than useful," unless farmers know how to use them ; 

 then they are of great value. In the meantime, a tenant 

 farmer of Lord Western, the late Fisher Hobbs, of Box- 

 ted Lodge, had availed himself of the opportunity to use 

 the thorough-bred Neapolitan-Essex boars belonging to 

 Lord Western, and crossed them with the large, strong, 

 hardy, black, and rather rough and coarse Essex sows, 

 and in process of time he established the breed, since be- 

 come so famous the Improved Essex. 



The difference between the two breeds is shown by the 

 engraving of one of Lord Western's Neapolitan-Essex 

 boars (fig. 23), drawn for the first edition of Youatt on the 

 Pig, and that of "Emperor" (fig. 22), an eight-year-old 

 Improved Essex working boar, taken in 1860 for Sidney's 

 last edition of Youatt on the Pig. 



Sidney, in his last edition of Youatt, says : " The Im- 

 proved Essex probably date their national reputation from 

 the second show of the Royal Agricultural Society, held 

 at Cambridge, in 1840, when a boar and sow, both bred 

 by Mr. Hobbs, each obtained first prizes in their respec- 

 tive classes. 



" Early maturity, and an excellent quality of flesh, are 

 among the merits of the improved Essex. They produce 

 the best * jointers ' for the London market. With age 

 they attain considerable weight, and often make 500 Ibs. 



