THE MODERN BREEDS OF ENGLISH PIGS. 57 



but comparatively few of them have been kept pure, 

 either here or in England. The common stock of pigs in 

 America is made up of these old breeds. Occasionally 

 we see a pig that has some distinct characteristics recog- 

 nizable as belonging to some known breed, but, as a gen- 

 eral rule, it is impossible to trace the slightest resemblance 

 to any distinct breed, either of the past or the present. 



The same is true, to a considerable extent, in England. 

 The common stock of pigs is of such a mixed character, 

 that it can be traced to no particular breed. Many of the 

 old breeds have become .extinct. We have so-called 

 "Cheshire " pigs in America, but there is no such breed 

 raised or known in Cheshire, and has not been for twenty 

 years or more. 



Culley, in his work entitled " Observations on Live- 

 stock," published in 1807, gives a well authenticated ac- 

 count of a Cheshire pig which measured, from the nose 

 to the end of the tail 9 feet, 8 inches, and in height, 4 

 feet, 5|- inches. When alive, it weighed 1,410 Ibs., and 

 when dressed, 1,215 Ibs. The age is not given. It was 

 probably as fat as it could be made, and yet it only 

 dressed 80J per cent of its live weight. 



This breed, if we may call it a breed, was evidently 

 very large and coarse. It is described as " remarkably 

 long, standing very high, on long, bony legs ; head largo, 

 ears long and hanging; back much curved, and narrow; 

 sides flat and deep ; color white, blue and white, black 

 and white." This breed has become extinct. 



The old Yorkshire or Lincolnshire breed is described in 

 Morton's Cyclopedia as "one of the largest breeds in 

 the kingdom, and probably one of the worst ; extremely 

 long-legged, and weak loined ; very long from head to 

 tail ; color chiefly white, with long, coarse, curly hair ; 

 tolerable feeders, but yielding a coarse, flabby flesh, of in- 

 ferior marketable quality." 



It is from this race of pigs that the modern Yorkshire, 

 3* 



