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ILLUSTRATED STOCK DOCTOR. 
excel all other English breeds. The improvement is reported to have 
commenced sometime during the last century, through the importation 
and crossing on the females of a Siamese boar. This breed was, in color 
from a jet black to a dark slate, or rich plum color ; of medium size, 
quick to mature ; very fine in all points, with short, small legs and head; 
thin jowls ; a dished face ; slender, erect ears ; broad, deep, compact body, 
■well ribbed up ; extra heavy hams and shoulders ; a slender; tail ; thin skin B 
and firm, elastic flesh. 
Establishing the Improved Berkshire. 
After using the Siamese boar in Berkshire to the old style of females 
as long as it was considered best, he was discarded, and the cross pigs 
then bred together. In 1838 as we and others bred this swine in Illinois, 
they were in color a deep, rich plum, with a slight flecking on the body, 
of white, or buff, or a mixture of the two ; having a small blaze in the 
face ; two to four white feet, and more or less white hair on the tail. 
The plum color was preferred to the black*or slate, because it carried 
rather higher style and higher points with it, and a superior quality of 
flesh, softer hair, and finer skin. Since that time the Berkshires have 
been much improved in style and compactness, but probably not in excel- 
lent meat points. In lean meat in the bacon pieces, and in superior hams 
and shoulders, they excel all other breeds. It must be acknowledged, 
however, they were always somewhat harder feeders than the best of the 
Very fat breeds. 
Standard Characteristics of Berkshires. 
The following may be accepted as a standard of characteristics and 
ijnarks: Color black, white on feet, face, tip of tail, and occasional 
splash of white on the arm. While a small spot of white on some other 
part of the body does not argue an impurity of blood, yet it is to be 
discouraged, to the end that uniformity of color may be attained by 
breeders. White upon the ear, or a bronze or copper spot on some part 
of the body argues no impurity, but rather a reappearing of original 
colors, by reversion. Markings of white other than those named above, 
are suspicious, and a pig so marked should be rejected. Face short, 
fine and well dished ; broad between the eyes ; ears generally almost 
erect, sometimes inclined forward with advancing age, always small, 
thin, soft and showing veins ; jowl full ; neck short and thick ; shoulder 
short from neck but moderately deep from back down ; back broad and 
straight, or very little arched ; ribs long and well sprung, giving rotundity 
