1848. 



GENESEE FARMER. 



51 



CHINA HOG. (Fig. 9. 



Breeds of Swine. 



The breeds cultivated in this country are nu- 

 merous, and like our native cattle they embrace 

 many of the best, and a few of the worst to be 

 found among the species. Great attention has 

 for many years been paid to their improvement 

 in the eastern states, and nowhere are their bet- 

 ter specimens than in many of their yards. This 

 spirit has rapidly extended West and South ; 

 and among most of the intelligent farmers who 

 make them a leading object of attention, on their 

 rich corn grounds, swine have attained a high 

 degree of excellence. This does not consist in 

 the introduction and perpetuity of any distinct 

 races, so much as the breeding up to a desirable 

 size and aptitude for fattening, from such meri- 

 torious individuals of any breed, or their crosses, 

 as come within their reach. 



The Byejield, some 30 years ago, was a valua- 

 ble hog in the Eastern states, and did much 

 good among the people generally. They are 

 white, with fine curly hair, well made and com- 

 pact, moderate in size and length, with broad 

 backs, and at 15 months attaining some 300 to 

 350 lbs. net. 



The Bedford or Wohurn is a breed originat- 

 ing with the Duke of Bedford, on his estate at 

 Woburn, and brought to their perfection, proba- 

 bly, by judicious crosses of the China hog, on 

 some of the best English swine. A pair was 

 sent by the Duke to this country, as a present to 

 Gen. Washington, but they were dishonestly 

 sold by the messenger in Maryland, in which 

 state and Pennsylvania they were productive of 

 much good at an early day, by their extensive 

 distribution through diflerent states. Several 

 other importations of this breed have been made 

 at various times, and especially by the spirited 

 masters of the Liverpool packet ships, in the 

 neighborhood of New York. They are a large, 



spotted animal, well made, and inclining to early 

 maturity and fattening. They are an exceed- 

 ingly valuable hog, but are nearly extinct both 

 in England and this country, as a breed. 



The Leicesfers are a large, white hog, gener- 

 erally coarse in the bone and hair, and great eat- 

 ers, and slow in maturing. Some varieties of 

 this breed differ essentially in these particulars, 

 and mature early on a moderate amount of food. 

 The crosses with smaller compact breeds, are 

 generally thrifty, desirable animals. Other large 

 breeds deserving commendation in this country, 

 are the large Miami White, the Yorkshire white, 

 and the Kenihvorth, each frequently attaining, 

 when dressed, a weight of 600 to 800 lbs. 



The Chinese is among the smaller varieties, 

 and without doubt is the parent stock of the best 

 European and American swine. They neces- 

 sarily vary in appearance, size, shape, and color, 

 from the diversity in the style of breeding, and 

 the various regions from which they are derived. 



The above engraving, (Fig. 9,) represents the 

 pure China pig, and is a striking likeness of 

 many of the imported and their immediate de- 

 scendants that we have seen in this country. 

 They are too small an animal for general use, 

 and require to be mixed with larger breeds to 

 produce the most profitable carcass for the mar- 

 ket. For the purpose of refining the coarse 

 breeds, no animal has ever been so successful 

 as this. They are fine boned, short, and very 

 compact, with bellies almost touching fhe ground, 

 light head and ears, fine muzzle, of great docilty 

 and quietness, small feeders, and producing much 

 meat for the quantity of food consumed. 



From the rapidity with which generations of 

 this animal are multiplied, the variety of other 

 breeds on which they are crossed, and the treat- 

 ment to which they are subjected, it is not sur-' 

 prising that their descendants should rapidly as- 

 sume distinct features. They furnish not only a 



