754 SWINE 



noteworthy arch of back, as a rule, but they are not deficient in 

 this regard. The shoulders generally are light and well set in, but 

 boars occasionally are prominent in the shoulders and somewhat 

 narrow at the withers. The body as a whole has only moderate 

 depth and length, producing a fair side for bacon, especially with 

 the lighter-weight pigs. The hams lack somewhat the fullness of 

 the highly developed American breeds, more especially in the 

 lower thigh. The legs tend to be of moderate length, with excel- 

 lent bone, and \h^ pasterns z.nd.feet are strongly carried, as might 

 be expected in so active a breed. In general appearance the 

 Hampshire is a smooth, trim kind of pig, such as kills out well. 



The color of the Hampshire, which is its most striking feature, 

 is usually black, with a white belt about the body, this being 

 known as a " listed " color. This white band, or belt, is from four 

 to twelve inches wide and encircles the body just back of and 

 about the forelegs, the latter also usually being white. It is not at 

 all uncommon for sows to farrow solid-black pigs in a litter with 

 belted ones. The revised standard of perfection of the Hampshire 

 association objects to white color running high on the hind legs 

 or extending more than one fourth the length of the body. Solid- 

 black color is objectionable, while spotted pigs or those with more 

 than two thirds white are disqualified. In discussing the color 

 H. F. Work of Indiana, in a little history of this breed published 

 many years ago, wrote : 



While the list will long be retained by many of the breeders as the most 

 fashionable color, there are also those who try to run their herds pure black. 

 An ideal color is made up much as one may fancy, and the " color craze " 

 should not exclude worthy animals that are a little " off color," save where 

 spots occur. The breeding of blacks is an absolute necessity when the listed 

 hogs begin to show too much white, so as to narrow the belt. 



A writer in the Indiana Farmer (May 28, 19 10), discussing 

 the color question, states that he has been breeding Hampshires 

 for fifteen years, raising from two to three hundred a year, and 

 that 80 per cent of his pigs have good belts. Commenting on the 

 solid-black color, he says these cannot be sold for breeders, and 

 nine out of ten will not buy if they knew the pig — no matter how 

 well belted — was from black ancestry. One can hardly question 

 the good judgment of the breeder on such a decision on color. 



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