634 Saddleback oe Sheeted Pigs. [Oct., 



SADDLEBACK OR SHEETED PIGS. 



Sanders Spexcee. 



The breeders of this curiously marked pig are probably in a 

 better position than those of any other breed of pig to prove its 

 antiquity and originality, as it is recorded that sheeted pigs were 

 exported from England about one hundred years ago to the 

 United States, where they have proved so successful that it is 

 estimated that its breeders number at least thirty thousand. For 

 many years the saddleback or sheeted pig passed in the States 

 under the name of The Thin Eined Pig, etc., but a few years 

 ago the breeders determined to alter the name of their society 

 to that of " The Hampshire Pig Society." Some surprise has 

 been expressed with the choice of name since it is not considered 

 that Hampshire is one of the principal homes of the saddleback 

 pig, but it probably arose either from the original importation 

 having been made from Hampshire or from the name of an early 

 breeder. 



The name adopted in America appears to have given rise to a 

 discussion of the question as to the original home of the Saddle- 

 back pig and this again has led to the expression of opinions as 

 to which of the two districts has succeeded in retaining the 

 greater portion of the points and character of the original breed. 

 Before a decision could be arrived at on this point, would it not 

 be necessary to arrive at a conclusion as to whether or not there 

 existed both in the South and in the East a native breed of pigs 

 of a very similar colour and character? If the first importation 

 into the United States came from Hampshire, sheeted pigs were 

 evidently in the South of England at least as far back as the 

 beginning of the past century, and on the other hand we find 

 one of the old writers on pigs stating that " the original Essex 

 pig was a parti-coloured animal, black with white shoulders, 

 nose and legs — in fact a sort of ' sheeted ' pig, large, upright and 

 coarse in bone." Another old wTiter asserts that " there is 

 another improved Essex breed, called the Essex half black, 

 resembling that which I have described in colour, said to be 

 descended from the Berkshire. This breed was originally intro- 

 duced by Lord Western, and obtained much celebrity." Another 

 quotation runs, "Lord Western," according to Mr. Youatt, "was 

 at one time in possession of the best breed of Sussex pigs, there- 

 fore it is most probable that he used them to turn the old black 



