48 



BREEDS OF SWINE 



boars; . . . flesh firm, sweet, and very tender, with less lean 

 than the Berkshire." 



A breed such as the Siamese, here described, was well 

 qualified to improve a coarse breed like the old Berkshire. 

 Mr. Allen favors the theory that Chinese blood was also 

 used, and, from his investigations in England, fixes the com- 



FIG. 15. Champion Berkshire boar, Iowa State fair. 



mencement of improvement in the Berkshire by crossing as 

 some time previous to 1780. 



Early Importations. Allen states that Berkshires were 

 first imported to America in 1823 by John Brentnall of New 

 Jersey. The first importation to Canada is said to have been 

 made in 1838. F. D. Coburn states that for ten years subse- 

 quent to 1831 there was active speculation in importing Berk 



