40c> 



SWINB. 



Characteristics. The Essex is a black hog, originating in the 

 south of England. They are of small to medium in size, and are exten- 

 sively used in England to cross on the large, coarse swine, to improve 

 their fattening qualities. 



The best specimens may be known as follows: Color black; face short 

 and dishing; ears small, soft, and stand erect while young, but coming 

 down somewhat as they get age; carcass long, broad, straight, and deep; 

 ham heavy and well let down; bone fine; carcass, when fat, composed 

 mostly of lard; hair, ordinarily rather thin. The fattening qualities be- 

 ing very superior. 



As breeders and nurses, they are very fair, though not equal to the 

 Berkshires. In fact, all thorough-bred animals, as they become refined, 

 or "highbred," lessen their fecund propensities to a greater or less ex- 

 tent; but ordinarily, with good management, no serious difiiculty need 

 be experienced on this point with well bred Essex. It is essential, how- 

 ever, that the brood sows be matured, and not permitted to become too 

 fat, which latter is often apt to be the case, with good feed and man- 

 agement. 



Good pasture, with plenty of water, will keep them in excellent con- 

 dition for breeding, throughout the whole grazing season. In fact, they 

 often come out of a good clover field in the fall, "killing fat," without 

 having had any other feed. They are good graziers, and have the ad- 

 vantage over some of the more tender-skinned white hogs, of being able 

 to withstand, (at any age, however young, ) the hottest sun of July or 

 August, without having their backs or skin in the least affected, and 

 they are never known to scald or mange. 



The young pigs of the Essex are usually more delicate than those of 

 the coarser breeds, and will appear quite inferior to the latter, at the 

 same age, up to eight or ten weeks, when they will begin to shoot ahead, 

 and "show their breeding." This is not always the case, but often is, 

 and is attributed to the mothers not being such good mikers as some 

 other kinds. It seems to be their nature to run to fat rather than 

 milk. 



Poland Cliitia. The history of this well-known breed was pre- 

 sented at the National Swine Breeders' Convention, and the following 

 was adopted as authentic: 



"In the early history of swine-breeding in the Miami Valley, in Ohio, 

 it is clear, from the best written authorities available, and from oral tes- 

 timony, that there were two breeds, which to a great extent had been 



