404 



SWINB. 



years ago to try and meet this want. At the fair of the New York State 

 Agricultural Society which was held at Elmira, he exhibited a sow, 

 Princess Alice, and six pigs, which was the first time the Victorias have 

 been presented at a State fair for competition with other swine. The 

 first prize was awarded to the pigs, and the second to the sow. 



Characteristics. The color is white, with a good coat of fine soft 

 hair; the head thin, fine, and closely set on the shoulders; the face 

 slightly dishing; the snout short; the ears erect, small, and very light or 

 thin; the shoulders bulging and deep; legs short and fine; the back 

 broad, straight, and level, and the body long; the hams round and swell- 

 ing, and high at the base of the tail, with plaits or folds between the 

 thighs; the tail fine, and free from wrinkles or rolls; feathers or rosettes 

 on the back are common; the skin is thin, soft, and elastic; the flesh 

 fine-grained and firm, with small bone and thick side-pork. The pigs 

 easily keep in condition, and can be made ready for slaughter at 

 any age. 



Durocs. There is another family of heavy hogs called Duroc, which 

 are bred in Saratoga county, New York, which are finer in the bone 

 and carcass than the Reds. They have been bred, with their crosses, 

 in that region of the country, for about twenty years. They are very 

 hardy, and grow to a large size. 



Characteristics. The true Duroc or Jersey Red should be long, 

 quite deep-bodied, not round, but broad on the back, and holding the 

 width well out to the hips and hams. The head should be small, com- 

 pared with the body, with the cheek broad and full, with considerable 

 breadth between the eyes. The neck should be short and thick, and the 

 face slightly curved, with the nose rather longer than in the English 

 breeds; the ears rather large and lopped over the eyes and not erect. 

 Bone not fine, nor yet coarse, but medium. The legs medium in size 

 and length, but set well under the body and well apart, and not cut up 

 high in the flank or above the knee. The hams should be broad and 

 full well down to the hock. There should be a good coat of hair of 

 medium fineness, inclining to bristles at the top of the shoulders; the tail 

 being hairy and not small; the hair usually straight, but in some cases a 

 little wavy. The color should be red, varying from dark, glossy, cherry 

 red, and even brownish hair, to light yellowish red, with occasionally a 

 small fleck of black on the belly and legs. The darker shades of red are 

 preferred by most breeders,' and this type of color is the most desirable. 

 In disposition they are remarkably mild and gentle. When full grown 



