SWINE IN ENGLAND. &> 



politan breeds have, however, much improved the original race ; they 

 are now smaller boned, not so large in size, and fatten earlier and 

 more readily. 



CORNWALL. 



The CORNISH BREED. Here again, the march of improvement is 

 decidedly evident ; the old Cornish hog, a large, white, long-sided, 

 heavy-boned, razor-backed animal, possessing but little aptitute to 

 fatten, is nearly extinct ; and in its place we see a compact, well-made 

 pig, fattening kindly, coming early to maturity, and yielding in excel- 

 lence and value to few. This variety has been produced by crossing 

 the old breed with the Berkshire, Chinese, Essex, Leicester, and Nea- 

 politan pigs. These animals require little food beyond vegetables and 

 the farm-house wash, excepting at the period of fattening, when about 

 3 bushels of barley will suffice to bring them, at nine months old, to 

 the weight of from 350 to 400 pounds. 



BERKSHIRE. 



The Berkshire pigs belong to the large class, and are distinguished 

 by their color, which is a sandy or whitish brown, spotted regularly 

 with dark brown or black spots, and by their having no bristles. The 

 hair is long, thin, somewhat curly, and looks rough ; the ears are 

 fringed with long hair round the outer edge, which gives them a rag- 

 ged or feathery appearance ; the body is thick, compact, and well- 

 formed ; the legs short, the sides broad, the head well set on, the 

 snout short, the jowl thick, the ears erect, the skin exceedingly thin 

 in texture, the flesh firm and well-flavored, and the bacon very su- 

 perior. This breed of pigs has been generally considered to be one 

 of the best in England, on account of its smallness of bone, early 

 maturity, aptitude to fatten on little food, hardihood, and the females 

 being such good breeders. Although termed the Berkshire breed, 

 these pigs have been reared in various parts of the kingdom ; and 

 some of the very best have come from Staffordshire, from the pro- 

 geny of the celebrated Tamworth boar. In Leicestershire, also, is a 

 very fine race of them, descending from the stock of Richard Astley, 

 E-sq., who devoted much care to the improvement of the Berkshire 

 pigs. Hogs of the pure original breed have Veen known to attain 

 to an immense size, and weigh as much as 800 to 950 pounds. 



One bred at Petworth measured seven feet seven inches from the 

 tip of his snout to the root of his tail, and seven feet ten inches in 

 girth round the centre ; five foct round the neck, ten inches round 

 the thinnest part of the hind leg, and two feet across the widest part 

 of the back. He stood three feet nine inches high ; and, what wag 

 most remarkable in this monstrous animal, he did not consume more 



