692 SWINE 



as one of the superior breeds of England, combining size with sufficient apti- 

 tude to fatten, and being fitted for pork and bacon. It has been regarded also 

 as the hardiest of the more improved breeds. The Berkshire breed has, like 

 every other, been crossed and recrossed with the Chinese or Chinese crosses, 

 so as to lessen the size of the animal, and render them more suited to the 

 demand which has arisen for small and delicate pork. Many of the modern 

 breed are nearly black, indicating their approach to the Siamese character, and 

 sometimes they are black broken with white, showing the effects of the cross 

 with the White Chinese. From this intermixture, it becomes in many cases 

 difficult to recognize in the present race the characters of the true Berkshire. 



FIG. 325. Epochal 232232 (imp.), a Berkshire boar owned by the Gossard Breed- 

 ing Estates, Martinsville, Indiana. Epochal has been widely advertised as a great 

 sire; and his progeny have commanded large prices. From photograph, by courtesy 

 of the Gossard Estates 



Youatt, writing about this same time, 1 says that they were sandy 

 or whitish brown, spotted regularly with dark brown or black. 

 The body was free of bristles and was covered with long, thin, 

 and somewhat curly hair. The ears were erect and fringed with 

 long hair, the head and snout were short, the body thick and com- 

 pact, the legs short, the skin thin, the flesh of good flavor, and 

 the bacon superior. At this time the breed was regarded as one 

 of the best in England, due to early maturity, easy fattening, 



1 The Pig. 1847. 



