890 



Berkshire Pigs. 



[Jan., 



quantity or the quality — we think it is the former — which some 

 of the sows furnish is not sufficient to rear in the best possible 

 manner a litter of ten pigs. Far too frequently the young pigs 

 do not make the same amount of growth which pigs of some 

 other breeds make ere they are three or four weeks old. This 

 shortage of milk is also most probably the cause of that un- 

 evenness in size and development which is too often noticeable 

 in a litter of Berkshire pigs. A complaint is also made by those 

 who make a practice of selling their pigs as weanlings that they 

 are too small to attract customers, most of whom look for size 

 as an indication of growth in later life, but this apparent defici- 

 ency of bulk is largely due to the compactness and evenness of 

 form of the Berkshire pigling. 



The standard of excellence issued by the British Berkshire- 

 Society is as follows : — 



Colour: Black with white on face, feet and tip of tuil. 



Shin: Fine and free from wrinkles. 



Hair: Long, fine and plentiful. 



Head: Moderately short, face chisled, snout broad; and \\ ide between the 

 eyes and ears. 



Ears: Fairly large, carried erect or slightly inclined forward and fringed 

 with fine hair. 



Nech: Medium length, evenly set on shoulders; jowl full and not heavy.. 

 Shoulders: Fine and well sloped backwards; free from coarseness. 

 Back: Long and straight, ribs well sprung, sides deep. 

 Hams: Wide and deep to hocks. 

 Tail: Set high and fairly large. 



Flank: Deep and well let down, and making straight under line. 

 Legs and feet: Short, straight and strong, set wide apart and hoofs nearly- 

 erect. 



Imperfections: A perfectly black face, foot or tail. A white ear. A 

 crooked jaw. White or sandy spots, or white skin on the body. A 

 rose back. A very coarse mane and inbent knees. 



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