1867. 



NEW ENGLAND FARIMER. 



241 



CHESTER "WHITB SWUOJ. 



These swine, known also as Chester County 

 Whites, Chester Whites, &c., derive their name 

 from Chester County, Penn., where they are 

 said to have originated, some forty years ago, 

 by a cross between the best native stock of 

 that section and a boar imported from Bed- 

 fordshire, England, by a Capt. Jeffries. San- 

 ford Howard describes the old stock as fol- 

 lows : Head large ; the nose or snout thick, 

 but not long for the size of the animal ; the 

 ears large, thick and flapping ; the body rather 

 long, and tolerably round ; the back generally 

 hollowing, frequently with a considerable de- 

 pression immediately behind the shoulders ; 

 the legs generally large in proportion to the 

 size of the body, and in fat animals frequently 

 giving way so much as to bring the dew-claws 

 fully to the ground ; the skin rather thick, and 

 covered with long, wavy bristles. He then 

 remarks that many of the hogs now called 

 Chesters, or Chester Whites, have upright and 

 somewhat thin ears, less bristles, thinner skin, 

 and less coarseness of bone than the old stock, 

 plainly indicating a cross with some finer 

 race. 



This breed appears to be attracting much 

 attention in many parts of the United States at 

 the present time, and the above cut, from a 



photograph of a pair, will give a good idea of 

 their outside show. 



AGRICULTUBAIi ITEMS. 



— The price of flour was quoted in California, 

 Feb. 21, at f i.75a)gi5.25 per bbl.; hay $8a$14 per 

 ton. 



—Edwin Hammond, of Middlebury, Vt., re- 

 cently sold six ewes to go to the West for $600 

 apiece. 



— The California Farmer says that nursery men 

 are doing a good business in that State, as there is 

 a general desire to improve everywhere. 



—Mr. James O. Sheldon, of Geneva, N. Y., lately 

 purchased of Samuel Thorn, forty short horn cat- 

 tle of the Duchess and Oxford families at an aver- 

 age of over ^1000 per animal. 



— Maple orchards are of great value to farmers. 

 More attention should be paid to growing young 

 maples by nursery culture or otherwise. They 

 readily start from the seed. 



—Mr. Sullivan Fisk, of Compton, C. E., last 

 season raised 525 bushels Davis Seedling potatoes 

 from one acre of ground. Thirty loads of manure, 

 were spread on oat stubble in the fall, and plowed 

 in. In the spring, the land was again plowed, har- 

 rowed, and furrowed about three inches deep, 

 three and a half feet apart. Large potatoes were 

 cut into three pieces each, and one piece dropped 

 in a hill, the hills flfteen inches apart. They were 

 hoed twice in a thorough manner. 



