THE MODERN ENGLISH BREEDS OF PIGS. 89 



" Mr. Coate writes me that he purchased, about * twenty 

 years ago, a boar and sow in Somersetshire, of a breed 

 said to have been sent from Turkey. They resembled, in 

 some measure, the wild boar,* being short on the leg, 

 with very long, wiry hair, black in color, and very inclined 

 to fatten. I was led to believe it was a mixture between 

 the wild boar and Neapolitan breeds. I crossed them 

 with some Chinese I had, and by so doing, both ways, pro- 

 duced the animals I named, when first exhibited, the 

 ' Dorset breed,' although not properly ; but they had, 

 from their beauty, previously found their way into many 

 farm-yards in the county. I had two distinct breeds to 

 begin with (Mr. Coate means, I presume, the Chinese- 

 Turks and the Turk-Chinese,) which I kept pure a long 

 time for crossing ; but as both wore away, have used my 

 own stock as far akin as possible, and have once or twice 

 introduced fresh blood by getting a boar as much like my 

 own as I could. I have tried crosses with other breeds, 

 but not liking the offspring, got rid of them again. 

 Crosses answer well for profit to the dairyman, as you get 

 more constitution and quicker growth ; but for me, who 

 sell a great number of pigs for breeding purposes, I find 

 it will not do, as it requires many years to get anything 

 like purity of blood again. With all animals, the first or 

 second cross is good ; but if you ever get away from the 

 pure breed, it requires years and great attention to regain 

 it, as the cross often shows itself in color or shape years 

 after it has taken place, when you fancy you are quite 

 safe.' 



" There is no manner of doubt that Mr. Coate's Dorsets 

 have been improved by a strong cross of Mr. Hobbs' im- 

 proved Essex. Experienced pig judges tell me that they 

 carry the relationship plainly in their faces ; and this 



* According to this description, they did not in the least resemhle any wild 

 boar I have ever seen. S. S. 



