SWINE. 371 



and contain?, moreover, a treatise upon swine, by Sanford How- 

 ard, of unusual value. 



The point about to be mentioned, taken from the report 

 referred to, is discussed by another writer. This writer starts 

 the idea, and refers to " Giles, in Philosophical Transactions 

 for 1821," as an authority for the theory, that the male by 

 whom the female is destined to receive her first progeny 

 stamps a character upon every subsequent produce, even by 

 other males ! As no facts are cited in support of this theory, 

 it will be doubted by many, of course. If, however, it should 

 have the effect of inducing those having valuable sows to be 

 careful in selecting the boar to which the young sow shall go 

 for the first time, the hint will not be lost. And to apply the 

 rule in our county, it would seem a clear case, that if those 

 having large-framed sows of any breed, and living within a 

 reasonable distance of a pure-blooded Suffolk, would take the 

 pains to carry them to such boars, they would be well compen- 

 sated by the extra price they would obtain for their pigs, or 

 by the quantity and quality of the pork, if they should keep 

 them or sell them at market. 



David Ciioate, Chairman. 



HAMPDEN. 



From the Report of the Committee. 



In discharging the duties assigned us, your committee are 

 aware of the prejudice in many minds in favor of different 

 breeds of swine ; yet, conceding to every breed its just merit, 

 and to every man's opinion all that is due, we claim for our- 

 selves no exemption from like preferences. Our prejudice, 

 however, instead of favoring any particular one, is against all 

 swinish breeds as food for man, especially in consequence of 

 its known injurious effects upon scrofulous systems. "N^ith this 

 frank and respectful deference to the judgment of all who may 

 differ from us, the society, we trust, will bear with us in the 

 free expression of our own belief. While we are compelled 

 from necessity to decide against the use of pork as a promi- 

 nent article of food for ourselves, we are quite ready to waive 



