Report on the Fi(js Exhibited at Windsor. 
713 
It is curious that as there were both white and black China 
pigs, so there was at one time a variety of white Berkshires, 
which, however, is not recognised now as entitled to the name. 
The Berkshires have been largely introduced into Ireland, and 
so early as 1863" an Irish breeder won prizes in this Class 
at the Royal Show. At Windsor, also, there was an 
entry of a Berkshire sow from Ireland. There were ninety-six 
entries in this section at Windsor, and the prizes were won by 
H.R.H. Prince Christian, Messrs. A. E. W. Darby, Alfred Napier, 
T. A. E. Hayter, Joseph Saunders, N. Benjafield, R. Fowler, and 
W. Pinnock. 
Other Black Breeds. 
The entries in the Classes under this heading comprised Suf- 
folks, Sussex, " Small Blacks," and " Large Blacks." The original 
breed of pigs in Suffolk was small, short, and mostly white. No 
doubt they formed the stock from which, in the hands of skilful 
breeders, the present black breed was formed, by the assistance 
probably of the China pigs. It is some five-and-thirty years 
since they first came into prominence, and Mr. Thomas Crisp, 
who was the earliest breeder of them, took a first prize mth a 
Suffolk boar at the Chelmsford Show of 1856. At the Canter- 
bury Show (1860) Mr. G. M. Sexton first exhibited, and since 
that time his name has been closely associated with the breed, 
although of late years he has ceased to exhibit. 
The variety of size in these classes was, as the Judges remark, 
confusing. The entries were as follows : — Small Blacks, eighteen ; 
Suffolks, thirteen ; Sussex, seven ; Large Black, three ; Poland- 
China, one ; total, 42. It is noteworthy that not a single entry was 
descrilaed as of either the Dorset or Essex breed, both of which 
varieties were greatly in favour some twenty jears ago. With 
the Essex pigs the names of Lord Western and Mr. Fisher 
Ilobbs are intimately associated. The Dorset breed — to which 
some of those present were probably allied — was an instance of 
a " manufactured breed." Some forty years ago Mr. John Coate 
put two black sows imported from Turkey to a Chinese boar, 
and crossed the offspring with a Neapolitan. About the same 
time Mr. J. A. Smith crossed a black Chinese sow with one of 
Mr. Fisher Hobbs's Essex pigs. From the two herds thus started 
sprang the breed of " improved Dorsets." The prize-winners in 
this section at Windsor were the Duke of Hamilton and Brandon, 
the Earl of Portsmouth, Messrs. G. Pettit, W. S. Northey, and 
Francis Sparkes. The Suffolks and Small Blacks each took five 
prizes, and the Sussex one. 
