CHAP. i. IRISH PIGS. 535 



which it has bred more or less for a number of years, and, further, it is 

 spoken very highly of for growth and prolificacy !> : <~ Hmirers. It is 

 of a large size, its colour being blue and white )r frequently 



covering a broad band round the body, which has given ^ . e to its being 

 called a sheeted pig. In years gone by, pigs of a very similar character 

 and colour were found in the counties of Cambs. and Essex, whilst at 

 the present time a breed now known as the Hampshire, and previously 

 as the Thin-rined, breed is found in the United States, and boasts of a 

 herd-book. The Somersetshire pig is of very much the same practical 

 character as the Large Black and the Lincolnshire White Curly-Coated 

 pig, and it requires improvement in the same respects quality of bone 

 and flesh. If the breeders of Somersetshires and Large Blacks do not 

 allow local jealousies to intervene, but give their best energies to render 

 their pigs still more suitable to supply the best pork markets, and also 

 retain their thrift, hardihood, and quick growth, there appears to be 

 every chance of a market being found for their stock beyond the local 

 borders. 



The Welsh pigs are chiefly white, and very much of the razor- 

 backed, coarse-haired, slowly maturing kind, unprofitable alike to the 

 feeder and the consumer. It is a matter of surprise that the Welsh, 

 who are most provident people, should not have discovered that their 

 pigs were capable of great improvement with a little outlay. Well- 

 bred pigs are now so generally raised in many parts of England that no 

 difficulty should exist in procuring young boars at a reasonable price. 



Pigs are by no means favourites with Scotchmen, 1 yet considerable 

 steps have recently been taken to improve the Scotch pigs, most of 

 which are white, and very similar in character to those found in 

 Cumberland and the other northern counties, in some of which 

 splendid bacon and hams are produced on the old style of curing. 



Ireland has long been noted for the excellence of its bacon and 

 hams, but of late years the large curers have complained very much of 

 the form and quality of the fat pigs sent to the fairs from many 

 districts. The old-fashioned Irish pig was a gaunt long-legged 

 animal which generally had to find its own living until the owner 

 fancied he had sufficient food to fatten it, though this was by no means 

 an easy process. In some of the better cared-for districts pigs were 

 imported from England, and very great improvement resulted from the 

 use of the old-fashioned long-bodied Berkshire; or spotted boar, but 

 after the English Berkshires had been improved the beneficial effects 

 of the cross were not so noticeable. Steps were afterwards taken by 

 some of the Irish bacon-curers to introduce Large White boars, and 

 here again the experiment was not wholly a success, owing to the 

 young boars being bought from English herds where the winning of 

 prizes in the show-yards was the great aim, rather than the production 

 of a pig which would furnish a carcass of pork of the greatest value on 



i In 1907 the pigs of the United Kingdom numbered 3,966,824, of which 2,257,136 belonged 

 to England, 232,996 to Wales, 146,634 to Scotland, 1,316,729 to Ireland, and the balance to the 

 small islands. 



