164 



THE GENESEE FARMER. 



July 



superior breed of swine, about the year 1826, by judi- 

 ciously crossing various excellent animals, which he 

 had the good taste and enterprise to select and bring 

 home in his voyages from various quarters of the 

 globe. It is said that the pigs from which he derived 

 the greatest benefit in establishing his breed, came 

 from China. This breed was given the name of 

 " Mackay," in honor of its originator. 



The Spanish black hogs, from the Mediterranean, 

 brought over by Ommodore Chau.nxey and other 

 naval officers, have been sources of considerable im- 

 provement along the Atlantic coast. Then we have 

 had the Norfolk Thin-rind, the Leicestershire, the 

 Lincolnshire, the Hampshire, the Yorkshire, the Eng- 

 lish and Irish Grazier, the French, the Swiss, the 

 German, the Neapolitan, the Russian, the Calcutta, 

 and time would fail to tell how many more breeds, if 

 we undertook to emmierate them all. 



The breed of pigs which has been more widely 

 spread, and exercised a greater influence in giving 

 shape and character to the swine of the United States 

 than any other, is the Berkshire. Tlie first was im- 

 ported from England, in 18'23, by the late Mr. .Tohn 

 Bre.ntnall. lie was an English farmer, and set- 

 tled in Canterbury, Orange county, N. Y. The next 

 importation of Berkshires was in the autumn of 1832, 

 by Mr. Sioav Hawes, who resided on the Three- 

 Hills Farm (since owned by Mr. Bement,) in Albany, 

 N. Y. In 1833 and '35, he made other importations ; 

 and after his return to England, in 1838, lie sent out 

 others in 1839. Subsetjucnt to this, Messrs. Bagg 

 k. Wait of Montgomery, Orange county, N. Y., 

 made large importations of Berkshires, both here and 

 into the south and west. In 1841, we imported up- 

 ward of forty head of this superior breed. 



The Berkshires are so well known, that we need 

 not describe them. Notwithstanding the disappoint- 

 ment and prejudices of some, we say emphatically, 

 that taking them all in all, we still think those which 

 are well bred, the bct^t farmers hog ever imported 

 into, or reared in, this country. They are a partic- 

 ularly valuable breed for the west, as they have 

 proved themselves better travellers than any others, 

 when driven over the mountains to a distant niai'ket. 



This is an important consideration ; and when Berk- 

 shires can no longer be found, they will be more 

 highly thought of than ever, and the farmers will 

 seek, when it is too late, to get into the breed again. 

 In 1841, Mr. William Stickney of Boston, im- 

 ported a i)alr of SulTolk pigs, w'hich he has followed 

 up by otner importations, nearly every year since. 

 His hogs are of medium size, of a white color, very 

 line in all their points, with deep full chests, round 

 bodies, thick hams, and short legs. They arc docile, 

 thrifty, mature early, and are easily kept. Their 

 pork is considered very delicate and fine. They will 

 weigh from 200 to 450 lbs. at 12 to 18 months old. 

 This breed of swine, some few of which occasionally 

 come up as high as 500 pounds, is beginning to be 

 pretty well known ; and as they are of a favorite 

 color, we think they are destined to be widely dis- 

 seminated. 



ivf 



We now present our readers with the portraits of 

 two pigs, which we think very perfect of their kind. 

 The large one is a good representation of a choice 

 hog for a farmer, weighing from 400 to 500 pounds, 

 it is an excellent model to go by, and every farmer 

 ought to have it before him as a guide in breeding. 

 The best Suffolks, well fatted, nearly resemble this ; 

 so also do the Berkshires, except that they are in- 

 clined to be somewhat steeper in the rump. The 

 small one is exactly like the improved Chinese, and 

 would not be a bad portrait for a small, well fatted 

 Suffolk or Berkshire. — Am. AgricuUunst. 



