THE BERKSHIRE 691 



the native races of Europe. They mature early and fatten on a 

 small amount of feed, and their flesh is white and delicate. Late 

 in the eighteenth and early in the nineteenth century English 

 and American writers frequently referred to Chinese swine, and 

 these varied — some being white, others black ; and some were 

 known as Big China and others as just China or Chinese. In 

 Great Britain the prevailing color was black, while in America 

 China hogs were frequently white. It is presumable that there 

 was more or less confusion in the use of the name and that 

 Siamese and Chinese may mean one and the same thing. The 

 important point, however, is that these pigs were fine of quality 

 and fattened easily, making most desirable stock to cross with 

 the coarse British hogs. 



The Neapolitan. Writing in 1842, Low states : 



At the present time a breed from the country near Naples has been intro- 

 duced and has been employed very extensively to cross other breeds. This 

 breed is of small size and of a black color. It is nearly destitute of hair or 

 bristles, but on being bred several times in their country, the bristles come. 

 The flesh is exceedingly good, but the animals themselves are destitute of 

 hardiness, and unsuited for general use. But they have been made to cross 

 the other swine of the country, and the progeny exhibit much fineness of form 

 and aptitude to fatten. Their flesh, too, is delicate, on which account the 

 Neapolitan crosses are at the present time in considerable favor in several 

 parts of England. 



Thus, in the days when British shipping was bringing in hogs 

 from Siam or China and from Italy, they were crossed upon the 

 hogs of Berkshire, thus lessening them in size, reducing coarse- 

 ness, and producing a finer quality of pork. 



The older Berkshire type is of special interest to present-day 

 students when we consider the typical Berkshire of to-day. The 

 two leading early authorities describing this early type are Low 

 and Youatt. Writing in 1840, in his great edition de luxe, of 

 the " Breeds of the Domestic Animals of the British Islands," 

 Low says : 



The true Berkshires are of the larger races of swine, though they fall short 

 in size of some of the older breeds, as the Hampshire, the Rudgwick, and 

 others. They are usually of a reddish brown color, with brown or black spots, 

 a character which makes it appear that one of the means employed to improve 

 them was a cross with the wild boar. The Berkshire has long been regarded 



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