THE POLAND-CHINA 487 



to herds of Miami Valley pigs by certain breeders as early as 

 along in the sixties. Mr. Ayers McCreary and Mr. D. M. Magie 

 claimed that their pigs were a combination of Poland and Big 

 China blood. Mr. A. C. Moore of Illinois, who formerly lived 

 in Ohio, also termed his pigs Poland and Chinas. These men 

 in particular, and some others, claimed that a Poland breed of 

 pigs had been used, presumably introduced to America by Polish 

 settlers. Much controversy developed over the accuracy of the 

 claim that such a breed as Poland had ever been used in Warren 

 County. More or less investigation followed, and no satisfactory 

 evidence seemed to support the claim. Evidence was secured, 

 however, to show that in one neighborhood an individual used 

 the word Poland " to designate the progeny of a particular ani- 

 mal that had been obtained from Asher Asher, who was a Polan- 

 der by birth and who many years ago resided for a time in Butler 

 County, some five or six miles south of Monroe." After an 

 investigation of this subject of origin of the breed a committee 

 reported to the National Swine Breeders' Convention at Indian-' 

 apolis, Indiana, in November, 1872, on the origin of the Poland- 

 China breed, and the report was accepted. In this report no 

 recognition was given to the influence of Poland blood, but 

 the committee recommended that " in view of the difficulties 

 in making a change in the name of any breed, that the said 

 name of Poland-China be recognized as the accepted name of 

 said breed." 



The improvers of the Poland-China pig in the earlier days of 

 its development represented numerous intelligent farmers and 

 stockmen particularly in the Miami Valley. The Shakers of Union 

 Village in Warren County were most prominent in this work, 

 and the herds of various breeders who later obtained distinction 

 traced back to Shaker breeding. John Harkrader of Springboro, 

 Warren County, who has been classed as one of the originators 

 of the breed, developed a herd generally recognized as being 

 of great merit, from which descended much prepotent blood. 

 Most prominent among the promoters of the breed forty years 

 ago were D. M. Magie of Oxford, Butler County, Ohio, who claims 

 to have originated the Poland-China ; Alexander Young and 

 James Duffield of Somerville and John Irvin of Darrtown, all of 



