Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1842-01-01
From the N. ". Cultivator.
MIR AII.ENlS VISIT TO ENGLAND.

Messrs. GAYLORD Il TUcKER-Being now
on my way home to Buffalo, and knowing
the anxiety of my friends to learn the sue
cess of my agricultural expedition to Eng
land, avail myself Of few moments of
Ieisureto state the general result. In swine
| went into thorough and minute exami-
nation from the different species Of the Chi
ma, the wild boar eff Asia, and from the for
ests of Germany, specimens of which !
found in the Geological Gardens and on the
estates of noblemen and gentlemen in diff
ferent parts of the country. | also exam
ined ali the original breeds of England still
left of any consideration, and the various
crosses and improvements that have been
made on them by importations from abroad
also saw specimens Of the Italian, Span.
ish, French, German and Russian breeds !;
then Scotch, Irish and WEIGH, with crosses
too numerous to mention. And the result
of the whole is, that the Berkshres, as
brought to this country by Mr.. Halves, and
such as have heretofore and now impor-
ted, for the general purposes of the farmer,
are, upon the whole, the very best ANNA IS
in the world. There are some kinds Of
swine that beat them as to size; and others,
perhaps, in little minor points. But what
| wish to be understood as asserting, is, that
the Berkshire unites more good qualities in
him for general purposes than anything
within my knowledge; and in coming to
this conclusion, ] stake my reputation as
breeder and my judgment as man; and al
though Imay be called an interested party,
| may be permitted to also add without
prejudice, and after long, laborious, strict,
and, l sincerely trust, an impartial investi-
CATION.
Berkshires in England are spreading very
rapidly, and are also now taken 10 Scot
land. Ireland, and other parts Of the world.
The name, consequently, as with us, has
become very popular; and all sorts of impo-
stions are there practiced as well as here,
with grades and every imaginable breed.
But the real true animal in shape, color and
quality, is precisely such as Mr.. Halves
first imported here, saving one exception;
and th.t is, a pig will now and then be cast
after the model and color of the original
breed, as figured in loves illustration, viz;
sandy or buff with waves or spots of black
and also black with some spots or waves Of
white; but the fancy Of the people incl-
ming to those more black, or dark, rich,
plumb color, just 1"cked witha little white,
the lighter colored and buff ones have been
constantly thrown out, till they breed with
now and then stray pig, as have so often
explained in the pages of the Cultivator.
For my part, rather fancy a slight buff
with the black, and | found the largest hogs
in the county so marked, after the old orig
insl. Windsor Castle has buff spot on
c,ra hoe FL; rbt a. g,
same on other parts OF him; and ! noticed
that more or less of his stock was thus mar
ked.
The old breed has become nearly extinct,
a few specimens only remaining; and these
so degeneratedin size that they are not nov
so large even as the present improved race
mot comparing at all with Windsor Cas-
lie. All assured me that he was the largest
animal that had been bred in the county
Tor twenty years; and IN the last number Of
the Cultlvator you have rather under than
overstated his dimensions. | know what
saw of the weights of inferior sized Berk.
shires fattng in England, that he may be
made to easily attain 800 pounds. Added
TO this great size, he is fine in his points, a
most excellent conformation, and what
is rather remarkable, of soft thin hair and
skin. took unwearied pains with all my
other selections; and though ! could find
none else quite as large as Windsor Castle,
they perhaps had trihe more OF fneness of
point and fashion.
In regard to the size Of hogs, breeders
and pork packers in England take the same
ground as informed the public in last July's
Cultivator, that they had in Cincinnati, the
greatest pork mart in America, and upon
precisely the same principles; and it would
be a waste of time for me to add another
word here on the subject. Large animals
have consequently become very scarce in
Berkshire, and exceeding y difficult to find.
personally perambuated all Berkshire and
the neighborng counties, and also employed
agents who are dealers IN pigs, each one of
whom annually buys thousands, and knows
every mans breeding in the country, to as.
siSt me; and | sent over by the London
packet ships Mediator and Wellington, and
am to receive next season stock from all
the different families bred there that are
worth possessing. These shall keep apart
in breeding at home; and thus, trust, save
the necessity of further importation for
twenty years to come. Stock of all kinds
is very high in England now. Pork and
mutton sell regularly in market at Cad. to
Fad. sterling; equal to Is and IA cents per
pound OF our money
White, light spotted, black blue, gray, and
all sorts OF cooured pigs may be seen in
Berkshire county,; but the people there
would scout at the idea of their being cal.
led By their name; they would consider it
an imposition, and might almost add on
insult. And, TO my numerous questions