1018 



Cumberland Pigs. 



[Feb., 



frequently apparent at the birth of the pig as later in life. It 

 is thought by some persons that the Cumberland pig of olden 

 times was a larger and somewhat coarser type of pig than that 

 common at the present day. This refining and improvement may 

 have been due to a certain extent to the admixture of the blood 

 of the class of pig bred in Lancashire and North Yorkshire, and 

 now known as the Middle White. That well-known old Yorkshire 

 pig breeder, Mr. Mangles, informed the writer many years ago 

 that he had sold many of the finer quality short-headed York- 

 shire boars for use in Cumberland. The use of these boars may 

 have had some influence on the size and quality of the old- 

 fashioned Cumberland pig, but it is probable that most of the 

 improvement in its character has been brought about by the 

 continued care of the Cumberland farmer in the selection for 

 breeding purposes of only those boars and sows of the form and 

 quality necessary in the manufacture of the choicest bacon and 

 hams for which the county has been noted for so long a time. 



That the farmers and pig breeders in Cumberland are still 

 animated by the desire to continue their efforts to place their 

 cured meats in the highest position on the markets appears to be 

 proved by the movement which has been inaugurated, having for 

 its object the labelling of all Cumberland hams and bacon manu- 

 factured from pigs bred and fattened within the county, and 

 naturally more or less of the type, form and character of the 

 Cumberland pig. so that they are easily distinguished from hams 

 and bacon produced from fat pigs of other breeds which have been 

 sent into the county and there cured in order to secure that higher 

 price on the market which is said to belong of right to the real 

 Cumberland hams and bacon. 



The standard of excellence issued by the Cumberland Pig 

 Breeders' Association is as follows : — 



Head. — Fairly short, wide snout, dished face, wide between ears. 

 Jowl. — Heavy. 



Earn. — Falling forward over face, long and thin. 

 Neck. — Fairly long and muscular. 

 Chest. — Deep and wide. 



Shoulders. — Deep and sloping in to the back, blades not prominent but in> 



line with ribs, not too wide on top. 

 Bach. — Long and level or with slight arch from head to tail. 

 Ribs.— Deep and well sprung. 

 Loins. — Broad and strong. 

 Sides. — Deep. 



Belh) and Flank. — Full and thick. 



Quarters. — Long and level or with only very slight droop. 

 Tail. — Set high, not coarse. 



