540 



THE PIG 



In 1901 several sows of the breed were exhibited at the Inter- 

 national Live Stock Exposition, which weighed over 1000 pounds 

 each. Mr. Spencer, in reply to a letter from Professor Long, says : 



The Large Whites reach, in the heaviest animals, 12 stone (168 pounds) 

 at six months old ; at nine months, 20 stone to 25 stone (280-350 pounds) ; 

 at 12 months, 30 stone (420 pounds); and at 18 months, 45 stone (630 

 pounds). . . . Sampson VI, a boar bred and exhibited by myself, and winner 

 at the Royal two years in succession, weighed, alive, 9| hundredweight 

 (1092 pounds) at 23 months, and was light in bone and carried but little offal. 



The modern market demand, however, is for a smaller pig, and 

 Yorkshire breeders are producing a smaller Large Yorkshire 



type, but few of the big 

 pigs appearing before 

 the public. 



The early-maturing 

 character of the Large 

 Yorkshire is not pro- 

 nounced. Feeders in 

 the corn belt, used to 

 pigs that will finish off 

 in eight months, find 

 this breed slow to 

 mature. The Yorkshire 

 grows very well but 

 does not fatten as early as the American breeds. At six months 

 of age the Yorkshire lacks the fattened condition possessed by 

 other breeds not of the bacon type. In fact, it never will, as a 

 matter of inheritance, carry so much fat, for it is a leaner sort. 



Large Yorkshire cross-breds are a very superior type. The 

 Yorkshire boar bred to either Poland-China or Berkshire sows 

 produces most excellent feeders. In experiments conducted by 

 the author with this combination the pigs grew rapidly, fed 

 extremely well, finished off smoothly, and produced the best sort 

 of meat. In numerous cross-breds examined the interesting fact 

 has been brought out that the white color of the Yorkshire is 

 almost invariably predominant. This demonstrates the prepo- 

 tency and fixity of character of the breed. The use of Large 

 Yorkshire boars on our typical American sows should not only 



FIG. 249. Holywell Czarina, a Large Yorkshire 

 sow on pasture at Sanders Spencer's, Holywell 

 Manor, St. Ives, England. Photograph by the 

 author 



