1877 .] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
133 
The Poland-China Swine. 
There are few so striking instances of the suc¬ 
cessful production of a breed of animals, fitted for 
a particular purpose, as that presented by the 
Poland-China swine. The actual addition to the 
material wealth of the 
country, during the years 
since this breed was pro¬ 
duced, has amounted to 
hundreds of millions of 
dollars! Of the 25,726,800 
swine 'existing in the 
United States in January, 
1876, there were 14,387,- 
400 in the States of Ken¬ 
tucky, Ohio, Michigan, 
Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, 
Missouri, Kansas and 
Wisconsin; and these 
may be valued at over 
$100,000,000. Of these, 
by far the larger portion 
are Poland - Chinas, or 
grades of that breed. It 
is unnecessary therefore 
to enlarge upon the eco¬ 
nomic importance of the 
breed. Some writers have 
cast doubt upon the 
claims of these swine to 
rank as a distinct breed. 
We are clearly of the 
opinion that the claim 
is perfectly well founded. 
If four or five crosses will 
entitle a Shorthorn to 
entry in the Herdbook,and to the title of “thorough¬ 
bred,” one cannot doubt that a class of swine, which 
has been carefully bred by skillful and intelligent 
men for many years, is quite as well qualified to be 
called thorough-bred. As to the variation in style or 
character of these swine, which is so much talked 
of and written about, the same may be said with 
equal force of the Berkshire or Essex breeds of 
pigs, or of the very ancient and undoubted South- 
downs amongst sheep. At any rate it is hardly 
necessary to discuss the question, after it has been 
judicially decided by the “ National Swine-breeders’ 
Convention;” and it is but a waste of time for 
those who have no in¬ 
terest in the breed to call 
in question the decision. 
The character of this 
breed may be easily seen 
and appreciated, from 
our engraving, which re¬ 
presents a pair, of swine, 
bred and owned by D. M. 
Magie, of Oxford, Butler 
Co., Ohio, with whom, it 
is claimed, this breed 
originated. It is only fair 
to say that this claim is 
contested by other breed¬ 
ers, but with what justice 
it is not our purpose here 
to discuss. However this 
may be, there is no doubt 
that much credit belongs 
to Mr. Magie, who has 
bred these swine care¬ 
fully since the year 1837. 
Forty years of continuous 
history should have some 
weight in considering the 
purity and stability of 
this breed. Since that 
early period, these hogs 
have been steadily grow¬ 
ing in favor, and at the 
yearly exhibitions furnish a very large majority of 
the swine presented for exhibition. In the Western, 
North western and South-western States,the Poland- 
Chinas outnumber all other varieties combined, 
and it is in these districts that they are chiefly kept. 
This breed was originally founded by variously 
crossing the “Irish Grazier,” the “Byfield,” the 
“Poland,” and the “Large China ” breeds ; and in 
addition, there has been considerable Berkshire 
blood infused into it. By careful improvement the 
breed has been much refined; the bone has been 
reduced in size, while the size of the animal has 
been enlarged, and its capacity for feeding and 
making flesh, with early maturity, has be en in¬ 
creased. They are quiet and docile, prolific breed¬ 
ers, and the sows are good nurses. They fatten 
readily at any age; at 18 to 20 months may be made 
to weigh 500 to 600 lbs., and at 10 to 12 months they 
have frequently dressed 350 lbs. The carcass is 
long, round, well proportioned ; broad in the back, 
and deep in the sides ; the legs are short, the hams 
and shoulders are heavy, thick, and square; the 
hair is thick and fine, in the best specimens ; in color 
they are spotted with black and white, the black 
greatly predominating ; the ears are drooping ; and 
when they have been carefully bred, these hogs 
are of a good style and handsome form. The 
specimens of which the portraits are here given, 
are from a herd of nearly 500 head, from which 
animals are shipped to nearly every State in the 
Union, many of this breed being now kept in all of 
the Eastern and Middle, and in some of the South¬ 
ern States. Before the Swine-breeders’ Convention 
adopted the present nomenclature for this breed, it 
was known in some localities as the “ Magie,” and 
in others as the “ Butler County ” hogs, the first 
name being from the earliest and most prominent 
breeder, and the other from the county where 
they were first most extensively bred. Other names 
have been given to the 
breed during their earlier 
history, these having 
arisen through local cir¬ 
cumstances chiefly. But 
all these names are now. 
dropping out of use, and 
it is doubtless better that 
they should do so, an ap¬ 
propriate and acceptable 
name having been found 
forthe breed. The future 
development of the busi¬ 
ness of growing pork is a 
difficult thing to forecast. 
It is hardly to be doubt¬ 
ed that it must in time 
grow immensely. To 
reach its most profitable 
condition, there must be 
a breed of hogs of sound, 
vigorous constitution, 
ample feeders, with good 
digestive powers, of rapid 
growth, and quick ma¬ 
turity. With the posses¬ 
sion of the Poland-China 
breed, it needs only 
proper sanitary regula¬ 
tions as regards feeding, 
watering, pasturing, and 
housing, to make the business of raising and feed¬ 
ing hogs in the great corn-growing States the 
most profitable branch of agriculture. Certainly 
nothing is so much wanted just now, as the best sani¬ 
tary treatment, to preserve the stock we produce. 
White Lancashire Swine. 
The English county of Lancashire has long been 
noted for its excellent breed of swine. These ani¬ 
mals have always been white in color, of rapid 
growth, good form, and, when mature, have reach¬ 
ed a very large 6ize—600 
to 700 pounds being a not 
unusual weight. Kecent- 
ly the Lancashires have 
been much improved 
by careful breeding. 
Amongst other breeders, 
the Earl of Ellesmere, a 
resident of South Lanca¬ 
shire, has given much 
care to their improve¬ 
ment, and has taken pre¬ 
miums wherever his ani¬ 
mals have been exhibit¬ 
ed. Some important im¬ 
provements have been 
made in the breed, promi¬ 
nent amongst which are 
their earlier maturity, 
and the reduction in size 
and weight of the offal, 
such as the head and 
feet, and other unsalable 
parts. The portrait given 
on this page is from a 
photograph, and repre¬ 
sents a hog which is as 
near a model one as can 
well be produced. A 
trio of this breed was 
presented by an English 
friend to Wm. G. Lewis, of Framingham, Mass., 
to whom we are indebted for the photograph, 
from which the engraving was produced. Since 
their introduction into America, these pigs have 
been very healthy, and have proved to be hardy, 
profitable to keep, and suited to our climate. 
POLAND-CHINA SWINE—BRED AND OWNED BY D. M. MAGIE, OXFORD, OHIO. 
A WHITE LANCASHIRE HOG—OWNED BY WM. G. LEWIS, FRAMINGHAM, MASS. 
