18 A MANUAL ON THE HOG. 



PRINCIPAL BREEDS NOW RAISED IN THE 

 UNITED STATES. 



In order to avoid all confusion in the use of terms, a 

 succinct definition of 



WHAT CONSTITUTES A BREED 



is necessary. The following classification will embrace 

 every variety of the hog family, viz : 



1. THOROUGH-BRED or such as have been bred in a 

 direct line sufficiently long to establish a fixed type, 

 which is perpetuated uniformly in each successive gener- 

 ation. To this class belong the Berkshire, Essex, Poland 

 China, Chester White, New Jersey Red, and others, of less 

 note. 



2. CROSS-BRED or the offspring of a thorough-bred sow 

 *of one breed, by a thorough-bred boar of another. 



3. GRADE or the result of a cross of the thorough- 

 bred or cross-bred of either sex, with any other than 

 thorough or cross-bred. 



The third class may be divided into 



1st. High grade ', or those having a preponderance of 

 pure blood, such as the cross of a thorough-bred boar or 

 a half-blood sow, resulting in three- fourths, the next cross 

 of thorough-bred on the latter, giving seven-eighths, the 

 next fifteen sixteenths, etc. 



2d. Low grade, embracing half-bred and those below, 

 resulting from crosses of grades. 



Of course nearly all the hogs of the country belong to 

 the third class, those in Georgia belonging generally to 

 the 2d division of grades. 



HOW BREEDS ARE ORIGINATED. 



The tendency pervading all nature in obedience to Di- 

 vine command, that the earth should bring forth " cattle 

 and creeping things, and beast of the earth after his kind," 

 has been utilized by man to develop such peculiar charac- 



