THE MODERN ENGLISH BREEDS OF PIGS. 91 



upon it, and the consequence is that nearly all the prizes 

 go to grade pigs, or to some recently made-up breed. 



If one of these successful exhibitors of a made-up breed 

 is a conscientious man, he endeavors to keep his pigs pure, 

 and every year they become more valuable for the purpose 

 of improving common stock, but less likely to take a 

 prize. Mr. Mangles' York-Cumberlands, of which we 

 give a beautiful portrait on page 66, are as handsome pigs 

 as can be desired ; but if kept pure for a dozen genera- 

 tions, they will be no better than they are now for " show" 

 purposes; in fact, they will probably not be as good. 

 Some newly made-up breed, with equal refinement, but 

 with stronger digestive organs, will take on fat more 

 rapidly and will win the gold medal as they themselves 

 did when not half as valuable for the purpose of im- 

 proving ordinary stock as they are now. 



We cannot better conclude this account of the English 

 breeds than by copying the following remarks from Mr. 

 Sidney's book : 



" It will be right to say a few words about two or three 

 county pigs of no particular merit, but which, neverthe- 

 less, are ' familiar in our mouths as household words.' 

 For instance, there is the HAMPSHIRE HOG a name used, 

 very unjustly, no doubt, to designate a county man as 

 well as a county pig. There are some very pretty things 

 to be said about the herds of swine in the New Forest, 

 but they have been said so often, that they are scarcely 

 worth repeating. The county animal is black or spotted 

 with red, and about the size of a Berkshire, but coarser, 

 and has had less attention paid to its improvement. There 

 are also a considerable number of white pigs in Hamj> 

 shire. Like every other breed within reach of a good 

 market, they have been much improved within the last 

 twenty years ; but no Hampshire man has made himself 

 celebrated as a pig-breeder, and I cannot find any instance 

 of Hampshire pigs taking prizes at the Smithfield Show; 



