THE FARMERS' REGISTER. 



139 



«' But to return to Berkshires. I know tlint j der date December 23, but with no view of its 



the VVoburiis can beat ihe present Bcrkshires* in 

 wei^jht at s;ime age, but that is nolhiii<if. The 

 only lair and proper lest would be such as you 

 propose, 50 or 100 head of eacii grown np and 

 iaHed in Ihe common (arming way of ti\e coun- 

 try, an accurate account kept of their (bod, and 

 then see which has given the most and best pork 

 for ii ; nothini? less ihan ihis would be eatislaciory. 

 But can Dr. Martin show a gain of upwards o( 

 ihree month?, of three pounds per day, as the 

 Brentnalls made a Berkshire barrow do last win- 

 ter ? Vide their statement in JNlareh or April 

 number of Cultivator. I have just made a most 

 superb importation from Enijland and have every 

 satisfactory evidence (rom the persons vvlio bred 

 theiri, tliat the families (rom which they are de- 

 rived will gain 15 to 2 lb. per day, made t:\j|rrows 

 and shoved in their feed, (or the first year of their 

 lives. A pair of pigs, sent with one of the sows, 

 has gained since littered in April 1^ lbs. per day 

 each up to the present time, and one of the boars 

 actually weighed on the scales, on arrival, 520 lbs. 

 at 18 months old, though thin in flesh. My 

 brother will make a statement of them either in 

 his own or my name, for December or January 



publication. As to the conclusions of the writer 

 (iivorable to one breed and unfavorable to others, 

 they would carry more weight, had he stated Ihe 

 fitcis and grounds on which they are based. But 

 Ihe writer appears lo have exerted an active spirit 

 of investigation, and he, loo, coincides with us, 

 that the gorging system does not (iirnish Ihe Irue 

 test. We would thank him (or his facts. 



" Mr. and myself endeavored at the Win- 

 chester fair to determine which, amonof the s'- 

 veral rival breeds of hours, is the best. We care- 

 fully examined the specimens of each ihat were 

 exhibited there, and concluded that the very best 

 of each, reared in the best manner, is not a fair 

 lest of their relative value or their merits; be- 

 cause we sometimes see individual animals pos- 

 r=essing that conlbrmation which experience has 

 proved constitutes them the most valuable of their 

 species, which has been the result of accident 

 aided by extraordinary care and judtjment in 

 rearing, and is not a characteristic of their race. 

 It is sometimes Ihe case too, that this form is im- 

 parted by a single cross and never appears in 

 their progeny. Ft is a fact also, that one particu- 



lar breed of fine animals, crossed upon an inferior 

 number of the Culiivator. 'J'hey had not arrived j race, gives to the produce but little if any of its 

 when 1 left; but he says they show great vigor own merits ; whilst a different breed, crossed upon 



and constitution ; and, notwithstanding their size, 

 are equal in fineness of point 10 my very best 

 shakerand other stock. The oldest boar, he adds, 

 is superior to any thing he ever saw, not except- 

 ing the last sent out by Hawes to Lossing and the 

 Brentnalls — their color and characteristics same 

 as Hawes' importations. The stock of my Prince 

 Regent, imported last fall, has proved very fine 

 and has taken premiums wherever exhibited, but 

 it is hardly large enough to suit Kentucky. In 

 this valley, [the Scioto] ani! in New York, 'tis 

 much admired. Breeders here tell me they don't 



nn inferior race, will make a great improvement. 

 We therefore determined that the best mode of 

 settling this matter would be to examine those 

 different breeds in ge?rerfl/and not in particular in- 

 dividuals: loo see them under indi(Terent as well 

 as good treatment, and inspect the cross of each 

 upon our common stork kept as stock boas gene- 

 rally are. This course of examination we "com- 

 menced at your house. We have since looked at 

 o'her herds. We have seen the cross of Ihe Wo- 

 burn, the Berkshire and the Grazier, upon the 

 various breeds of scrub hogs, and after a tedious 



want a 6/g-ger/iog ^/^a/i30Q /6s. alls months; and j and riisrid investitra'ion of the claims of all of 

 a few large Berkshires 1 brought down won't sell j ihem, through their crosses and in themselves, for 



at all among them, while the medium size go ra 

 pidly. As to their driving, I know the longest 

 legged ones cant be beaten in mud or any where 

 else. I give you an extract of a letter just re- 

 ceived fi-om John Mahard,jr., of Cmcinnafi, one 

 of the largest pork packers there. He wrote me 

 unsolicited in the way of business. 



' We have just got through culling and packing 

 1280 hogs, for J. B. Kenney, esq. and others, 

 who drove them from near Georgetown, Ky., a 

 distance of about 80 to 100 miles and in the drove 

 they had five or six li^lf blood Berkshires and 

 they stated Ihat they stood the journey better ihan 

 any other hogs in the drove; and although several 

 of the common hogs gave out and had lo be left 

 behind, every one of the half Berkshires came 

 safe through to market." 



To be sure this is but a email and partial expe- 

 riment, but it goes to prove my assertions regard- 

 ing their driving qualities ; and as M r. Kenney is 

 one of your neighbors, I suggest your obtaining 

 the statement from him and publishing it," 



We shall conclude now, by an extract from a 

 letter written by a gentleman of Madison (that 

 great hog raising coimty) to a correspondent in 

 Ciarke, who transcribed it in a private letter un- 



*But we shall anor\with others I am going to im- 

 port 



all the purposes (or which they are desiiined. we 

 unhesitatingly pronounce the Wohurn the best 

 hog. We have seen them crossed in every vvay 

 and the result has been invariably, an obvious 

 and decided improvement. [ could give you some 

 fids in relation toother favorite breeds, crossed 

 upon the scrubs, of which perhaps yon are not 

 apprised, that detrnct much from their merit and 

 high standing in my esteem ; but as you are the 

 owner of all those dilferent breeds, I will say no- 

 thinor here upon that subject." 



This is slronir languaffe, and we repeat that the 

 writer should substantiate his opinions by the 

 facts. 



We have now had the various breeds lonff 

 enough lo judge of thetn by their real merits; and 

 \ye repeat our call for facts, ascertained in prac- 

 tice. We mean lo show fliir play and do full jus- 

 tice (0 all; and if the facts regarding the mer- 

 rils and relative value of each of the vaunted 

 breeds, be not made known, it shall be the fault of 

 (he breeders themselves. Give us, then, facts, 

 proving the superiority of your various breeds. 

 State your (reatment fully and fairly ami then 

 give US your arguments* in avoirdupois. .No 

 humbugging pufl^s will be admitted; we have had, 

 in all conscience, loo much of them already. In- 

 telligible, practical facts are now due; let's have 

 them. 



