1817. 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
313 
est disposition to fatten, together with a due proportion 
of lean, I never saw one to equal that which was 
originated by Lord Western, in Essex. I received a 
present of a young boar and sow of that breed from Lord 
Panmure, and had the breed for ten years; and such 
was the high condition constantly maintained by the 
pigs on what they could pick up at the steading, be¬ 
sides the feed of turneps supplied them daily, that one 
could be killed at any time for the table as a porkling. 
They were exceedingly gentle, indis¬ 
posed to travel far, not very prolific, 
however; but could attain, if kept on, 
to a great weight; and so compact in 
form, and small of bone and offal, 
that they invariably yielded a greater 
weight of pork than was judged of be¬ 
fore being slaughtered. The offal was 
smal,l and more delicious ham was 
never cured than they afforded. 
The improved Suffolk breed, fig. 
74, is spoken of by Mr. Youatt in 
very favorable terms. He says: li On 
the whole, there are few better breeds 
to be found in the kingdom, perhaps, 
than the improved Suffolk pigs; they 
are well-formed, compact, short-leg¬ 
ged, hardy animals, equal in point of 
value , to the best of the Essex, and 
superior in constitution, and conse¬ 
quently better adapted for general 
keep, and especially for the cottager. 
The greater part of the pigs at Prince 
Albert’s farm, near Windsor, are of 
the improved Suffolk breed—that is 
to say, the Suffolk crossed with Berk¬ 
shire and Chinese. They are small in size, with 
round bulky bodies, short legs, small heads, and fat 
cheeks. Those arising from the Berkshire and Suffolk 
are not so well shaped as those derived from the Chi¬ 
nese and Suffolk, being coarser, longer legged, and more 
prominent about the hips. Many of 
the improved Suffolk^ breed well, at a 
year or fifteen months old, weigh from 
12 to 15 or 16 score, [250 to 300 or 
320 pounds;] at this age they make 
fine bacon hogs. The sucking pigs 
and porkers are also very delicate and 
delicious.” 
This is the variety which has been 
introduced into this country by Wm. 
Stickney, Esq., of Boston, whose fine 
pigs have frequently been noticed in 
the public journals. 
Chinese Swine, fig". 75. —The va¬ 
rious Asiatic races of swine, have been 
greatly instrumental in improving the 
English breeds. The Siamese, as well 
as several varieties of the Chinese, 
were long since rbsorted to for the pur¬ 
pose of lessening the bone and increas¬ 
ing the fattening tendency of the Euro¬ 
pean races. Mr. Youatt observes 
that there are two distinct varieties 
of the Chinese —“ the white and the 
black; both,” he says, “ fatten readily, 
but from their diminutive size attain no great Weight. 
They are small in limb, round in body, short in the 
head, wide in the cheek, and high in the chine; covered 
with very fine bristles growing from an exceedingly 
thin skin, and not peculiarly symmetrical, for when fat 
the head is so buried in the neck that little more than 
the tip of the snout is visible. The pure Chinese 
hog is too delicate and susceptible of cold ever to be¬ 
come a really profitable animal in this country; , it is 
difficult to rear, and the sows are not good nurses; 
but one or two judicious crosses have in a manner 
neutralized it. “ This breed will fatten readily and on 
a comparatively small quantity of food; and the flesh 
is exceedingly delicate, but does not make good bacon, 
and is often too fat and oily to be generally esteemed as 
pork.” 
The best of the Lincolnshire breed appear to be 
good hogs. Mr. Youatt thus describes them:—“ The 
Improved Suffolk Boa.r —Fig. 74. 
true Lincolnshire pigs are white, with long, straight 
bodies, round carcasses, fine skins, and few bristles; 
the heads are well formed and of moderate size, and 
the ears erect, pointing somewhat forward, and curling 
slightly at the tips; the hair is long and fine, but 
scanty. This breed was formerly considered superior 
to any but the Berkshire in point of form and value, 
they being easily, fattened, and the flesh being tender 
and of fine flavor; with care they will reach 45 or 50 
stone of I4.1bs. to the stone, [700 lbs.;] and many at 
a year and a half will weigh 25 or 30 stone, [450 to 
520 lbs.] They certainly do not attain to their matu¬ 
rity as early as some of the smaller breeds, but are 
notwithstanding this, profitable animals, and good, 
The Chinese Breed. —Fig. 75. 
