CHAPTER IX. 

 THE HAMPSHIRE BREED (THIN RIND). 



Description. — The Hampshire belongs to the class of 

 medium-sized hogs. The face is straight, and the ear inclines 

 forward but does not droop like that of the Poland-China. 

 The jowl, shoulder, and ham are somewhat lighter than those 

 of a typical fat hog. As a rule, too, it has less width of back, 

 a little more length of side, and slightly less depth of side than 

 a hog of the strictly fat class. The breed may be described 

 as somewhere between the bacon type and the fat type in 

 conformation. (Fig. 24.) 



Mr. H. r. Work, at one time secretary of the Breed Asso- 

 ciation, describes the color as follows : " In color they are 

 either listed or blacks, the most fashionable color consisting of 

 black extremities with a white belt, from four to twelve inches 

 wide, encircling the body and including the fore legs, which 

 should also be white." The term " listed " refers to the 

 presence of the white belt. Mr. Work also states that there 

 are some breeders who try to run their herds all black, and he 

 claims that breeders should not be too particular regarding 

 color, with the exception that white spots should not be 

 tolerated. 



Origin and History — Originally this breed was known by 

 the name Thin Rind, but in 1904 the name was changed to 

 Hampshire, which is now the official name of the breed. 



According to Mr. Work, the Hampshire traces to pigs 

 brought to Massachusetts from Hampshire, England, about 

 1820 or 1825. It is said that descendants of this importation 

 were taken to Kentucky about 1825. In any case, the breed 



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