(TWINE, HISTORY AND BREEDS. 
359 
XU. Jersey Beds. 
This large and rather coarse breed of hogs have been somewhat 
disseminated in the West. They are certainly a hardy breed, and well 
adapted to new countries where there is good range and mast. Their 
history seems to be as follows : 
The positive origin of this family of swine is unknown. They hav« 
been bred in portions of the State of New Jersey for upwards of fifty 
years, and with many farmers are considered to be a most valuable family. 
They are of large size and capable of making heavy growth, 500 and 600 
pounds’ weight being common. They are now extensively bred in the 
middle and southern portions of New Jersey. In some neighborhoods 
they are bred quite uniform, being of dark red color ; while in other 
sections they are more sandy and often patched with white. They are 
probably descended from the old importations of Berkshires, as there is 
no record of the Tamworth, the red hog of England, ever having been 
brought into this country, nor is this likely, as the Tamworth was not 
considered a valuable breed, and was confined to a limited area. The 
Beds resemble the old Berkshires in many respects, but are now much 
coarser than the improved swine of this breed. 
A good specimen of Jersey Bed should bo red in color, with a snout of 
moderate length, large top ears, small head in proportion to the size and 
length of the body, standing high and rangy on their legs ; bone coarSe, 
having tail and brush and hair coarse, inclining'to bristles on the back. 
XIII. Cheshires. 
This is a comparatively modern breed, if indeed it is yet fully enough 
established to be called a breed. It has been somewhat disseminated in 
various parts of the United States, and for villagers and small farmers, 
possesses about all the good qualities of the Suffolk, without some of their 
disabilities. They are said to have originated in Jefferson county, New 
York, from a pair of pigs sent from Albany under the name of Cheshire. 
It was probably a pet name for an exceptionally good pair of pigs. 
Since then they have been crossed with Yorkshires and other pure white 
breeds, until of late years by selection they have become uniform in their 
make up. 
The so-called Cheshires are pure white in color, with little hair. They 
era not uniform in this respect, as pigs in the same litter differ widely in 
the amount of hair. The snout is often long, but very slender and fine. 
The jowls are plump, and the ear erect, fine and thin. The shoulders are 
Wide and the hams full. The flesh of these hogs is fine-grained, and 
