702 feWiNE 



unrelated stock pigs are used," says Ashcroft, "the litters will 

 come pretty regularly twice a year and average about 8 to ii." 

 There are numerous instances of large litters of Berkshires. 

 Among these the following by a firm claiming to be the largest 

 breeders of Berkshires in America is of interest : ^ 



We have a strain of sows we term Highwood Columbias. Sows of this 

 strain in our herd have farrowed during March, 191 2, as follows: one sow 

 farrowed 10, the next one farrowed 14, the next 13. These latter two were 

 yearlings. The next one farrowed 14, which makes just 130 pigs this sow has 

 farrowed in ten consecutive litters ; another farrowed 9 and another 1 8. This 

 last sow, farrowing 1 8, farrowed 1 5 her first litter, and she is a full sister of the 

 sow that has farrowed 130 in ten litters. These sows have been selected and 

 bred with this end in view, apparently with some success. 



The Berkshire ranks very well as a producer of good-sized litters, 

 and this more especially applies in regions where corn is not the 

 important feature of the diet. 



The prepotency of the Berkshire is of the first class. Being 

 one of the oldest breeds, long bred with care, its prepotency has 

 become well established. Compared with breeds of swine of 

 American origin, this undoubtedly is more prepotent. When 

 Berkshire males are used in crossing or grading, the dominant 

 characteristics of the breed are reproduced with much uniformity. 



Important Berkshire families. Among those especially worthy 

 of note are the following : Duchess, of which Royal Duchess 

 900, by Othello 259, is the founder; Sallie, descended from 

 Sallie I, by Duke of Gloucester I ; Charmer, descended from 

 Royal Charmer 9082, by Exor 3891 ; Lee, descended from Minnie 

 Lee 14606, by Exor 3891 ; Nora, descended from Nora B. 14052, 

 by Liverpool Bob 10417 ; Artful Belle, descended from Artful 

 Belle 24th 50023, by Baron Lee 4th 33446. Most of these 

 foundation sows date back many years, and so we have subfamilies, 

 offshoots from the above, that are more or less prominent. 



Famous Berkshire boars in the history of the breed in America 

 make up an extended list. Among those prominent mainly for 

 their influence on the breed are Othello 259, Lord Liverpool 221, 

 Charmer's Duke 13360, Longfellow 16835, Baron Lee IV 33446, 

 Lord Premier 50001, Governor Lee 47971, Combination 56028, 



1 H. C. and H. B. Harpending in National Stock/nan and Farmer, May 2, 191 2. 

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