1872.] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
413 
Chinese Pigs. 
The steamer Glengartney lately arrived at 
New York direct from China, by way of the 
Suez Canal, having on board several China 
pigs. As China pigs directly imported are some- 
what rare, and as it is interesting to compare 
these latest arrivals with those pigs we know as 
the Chinese breed 
in tiie United 
States, our artist 
Las taken the por- 
traits of a pair 
■which fairly repre- 
sent the whole 
shipment. It will 
be seen that our 
so-called China 
pigs possess very 
many of the char- 
acteristics of the 
parent breed, while 
they have certainly 
gained in size. In 
color, marking, 
fineness of bone, 
precocity in fatten- 
ing, and depth of 
carcass, our China 
pigs have lost noth- 
ing by their emi- 
gration or by their 
acclimation, as 
compared with the 
specimens here il- 
lustrated. It will 
be observed that there is a marked differ- 
ence between the two pigs, especially in 
the form of the ear, one having erect and 
the other lopped ears. We could not learn 
whether these pigs had been selected espe- 
cially for breeding purposes or not, but if 
they were, we should judge that they were 
not carefully selected, although something 
must be allowed for the ill effects of a long 
sea-voyage, which always unfavorably affects 
live-stock. It is 
not generally 
known that we, as 
well is the English 
breeders, owe to 
the Chinese pig a 
considerable share 
of the improve- 
ment which has 
taken place in the 
Berkshire breed. 
The i nip rove d 
Berkshire . owes 
some of its best 
points to the infu- 
sion of Chinese 
blood into that of 
the old Berkshire. 
In addition, the 
so-called Poland- 
China or Magie 
breed, the common 
hog of the "West- 
ern States, owes a 
great portion of 
its excellence to the 
China blood con- 
tained in it. And 
while it is doubtful if the Chinese pig in 
its pure state would be a valuable addition to 
our present varieties of swine, or if we have 
not by its admixture with native blood sur- 
passed the pure animal in the most essential 
points, yet we owe a debt to it much greater 
than is generally recognized. Comparing the 
portraits of the pure Chinese pigs here given 
with specimens of those breeds which contain 
more or less of Chinese blood, it is seen how 
much the descendants surpass in all important 
and valuable points the original progenitors, 
and how much the course of judicious selection 
IMPORTED CHINESE PIGS. 
and careful culture undertaken by our breeders 
results in a general improvement of the stock 
which comes into their hands. This is shown 
not only in the case of this breed, but in all 
those which have come under treatment not 
only of swine but of other species of stock. 
While we have abundant room for congratula- 
tion in this respect, it is still to be regretted that 
farmers generally can not see it to be to their 
best interests to avail themselves of the success- 
East Indian and Gibraltar Sheep. 
We give above engravings of some foreign 
sheep brought to New York by the steamer 
Glengartney, mentioned in another article. 
One of these sheep, that with black wool, is 
from Calcutta, in the East Indies, and shows 
what can be done in the way of wool and mut- 
ton-growing in that 
hot climate. It will 
be seen that the 
East Indian sheep 
are not calculated 
for mutton - pro- 
ducers, nor are they 
very good wool- 
bearers, the wool 
being short and 
coarse, as might be 
expected. The 
white-wooled sheep 
are from Gibraltar, 
a district in the 
south-western part 
of Spain, which is 
in the possession 
of Great Britain, 
and consists mainly 
of barren rocks, 
held only for mil- 
i t a r y purposes. 
These sheep have a 
good frame, with 
long, coarse, 
straight wool al- 
most like hair, and 
have the reputation of being very hardy, and 
subsisting on the poorest fodder. They are not 
much superior to our poorest native sheep, 
and are interesting only as a variety which we 
very seldom have an opportunity of examining. 
EAST INDIAN AND GIBRALTAR SHEEP. 
fill labors of the professional breeders, and by 
incorporating the improved stock with their 
own native and comparatively unprofitable ani- 
mals, add much to their own personal wealth, 
as well as to that of the country at large. 
Keeping Pigs on Hotel Refuse. 
A correspondent in Jersey City writes that he 
has read "Harris on the Pig" with much inter, 
est, but can find 
nothing said in re- 
gard to whether 
pigs can be suc- 
cessfully and prof- 
itably raised upon 
the refuse of hotels, 
restaurants, a n d 
private residences. 
" Such refuse," he 
says, "contains 
very rich food, 
such as pieces of 
cooked meat, 
soups, stale bread, 
potato parings, and 
vegetable refuse of 
all sorts. The 
breeding and rais- 
ing of pork for 
packing in t h c 
above manner has 
been a hobby with 
me for several 
years, but whether 
I can ever make 
it practically suc- 
cessful or not re- 
mains to be seen. I am strongly inclined 
to make the experiment. I consulted with 
an Irishman who has already demonstrated 
the thing in a small way, and lie was very 
enthusiastic on the subject, saying that lie, 
