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- 
Wii? Bap 
i MOO 
Fia. 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 
