SWNE FOR THE HOME MARKET. 243 



extending over a period of many years, founded the thor- 

 oughbred families of to-day, — the Yorkshire, Berkshire, 

 Essex and other well-known English strains. 



Few people realize what good work these early English 

 breeders did, and how much the whole civilized world is in- 

 debted to them for their great efforts in the improvement of 

 all our domestic animals, especially those for beef, mutton 

 and pork. They reduced the cost of actual production at 

 least one-half. I find in Pearce's " History of Berkshire," 

 published in 1794, that, speaking of the hogs, he says: 

 '*They are the long-eared kind, having long legs, high, 

 narrow backs and low shoulders ; they are slow feeders, and 

 require good meals to keep them even in tolerable condition." 

 Contrast this description with the Berkshire of to-day. 



Lord Weston in 1834 made a violent outcross, and by 

 importing from Italy some black Neapolitan boars founded 

 the Berkshire and Essex fomilies ; and Fisher Hobbs, a ten- 

 ant farmer of his, continuing this cross, devoted a lifetime to 

 improving and establishing these two breeds. 



Lord Ducie, on the other hand, did much for the white 

 breeds, and to his skill is largely due the improved York- 

 shire of to-day, which is in my opinion the most perfect mod- 

 ern specimen of the porcine ftimily. 



In our own country I find that the farmers began to im- 

 prove their swine about the beginning x)f the present cen- 

 tury, and to the sea-captains of our merchant marine, and 

 a few wealthy gentlemen in Philadelphia, New York and 

 Boston, was largely due the infusion of fresh and improved 

 blood. Chinese pigs were the first imported, and from some 

 of these animals, bought in Philadelphia by the Quakers of 

 Butler Cuunty, Ohio, originated the once famous Magic 

 breed ; and this stock, in turn crossed with an imported Berk- 

 shire boar, produced the Poland China, a breed to-day more 

 commonly found among the large farmers, especially in the 

 West, than any other. The Chester Whites, another Amer- 

 ican family, originated about fifty years ago, in Chester 

 County, Pennsylvania. It received its first cross from Eng- 

 lish white stock, and is found quite extensively among the 

 Eastern farmers. The originators of this breed boast of 

 their never having made any but the original cross. I think, 



