56 SCIENTIFIC SURVEY OF LEICESTER AND DISTRICT 
production of bacon pigs. In the vicinity of our manufacturing towns there 
has always been a ready market for porker pigs, and whilst prices have 
fluctuated—at times violently—the pork trade has maintained a moderate 
degree of steadiness in the matter of price. 
The more popular breeds have been the Large White, Middle White, 
Berkshire, Large Black, Tamworth, Wessex, Welsh and many indis- 
criminate crosses. A growing interest in pig breeding is being steadily 
stimulated by the pig-rnarketing scheme which is now before the country, 
and which will doubtless be adopted and put into operation about August 
this year. This scheme offers a price for bacon pigs which is definitely 
associated with the price of feeding stuffs, and, moreover, the price is such 
as to practically guarantee a definite market for all bacon pigs of suitable 
breeding and weight, with little or no risk of loss. The pig population 
recorded in 1932 was the highest during the last ten years, and under the 
new reorganisation scheme there is every prospect of the pig industry 
extending upon a very considerable scale. ‘The British pig breeder can do 
much to supply a greater proportion of the bacon consumed than here- 
tofore. In preparation for developments the County Milk Recording 
Society has started a litter recording scheme which is meeting with a fair 
amount of support from progressive pig breeders. The object of the 
scheme is to help breeders to select their breeding stock with a greater 
degree of confidence than has been possible in the past. There are 
twenty pedigree boars in the county under the Live Stock Improvement 
Scheme of the Ministry of Agriculture. 
AGRICULTURAL HorsEs. 
The reduction in the numbers of horses in the county is shown in the 
following table : 
1923. : : . 23,519 
EQ25 81, : d . 21,084 
1926. L ‘ . 19,855 
193. : : . 16,249 
THZ2 “1 : ; . 16,061 
The influence of the machine age is clearly evident in the foregoing 
figures, for it will be noted that a steady but relentless decline in the number 
of horses is in operation. In past years, Leicestershire has held a well- 
merited reputation for breeding some of the best shire horses, and for 
many years Leciestershire breeders have always occupied excellent posi- 
tions in the list of awards at the Shire Horse Show in London. It is also 
a noteworthy fact that some of the most successful breeders of shires have 
been tenant farmers, many of whom have been ardent supporters of the 
activities of the Melton Mowbray Shire Horse Society. This Society 
has contributed materially to the developmient of horse breeding, and has 
readily paid very high premiums for the hire of some of the best stallions. 
The breeding of hunters is keenly pursued, especially by farmers and 
others interested in hunting, and for many years King’s Premium stallions 
have been available. The undulating character of the county and its 
strong and well-laid bullock fences necessitates the breeding of a type of 
