The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1853-05-18
From the Wool Grower and Stock Register.
Breeds Of Swine.
BY sANFoaD HOWARD.

BY SANFORD HOWARD.
Gs ttSl -
The IMPROVED Essex BREED.-This is
one OF the most valuable breeds now known.
The establishment of the breed is gener-
ally credited to the1ate Lord Western. 1t
has OF late years been extensively known
in the hands Of the noted breeder, w.
Fisher Hobbs, Of Marks Hall, Essex Il
has perhaps carried more prizes at Smith
field within the last ten years than any
other breed. As before mentioned, it was
derived from cross with the Neapolitan.
and inherits the color Of that race, with
more size, finer symmetry and much bet,
ter constitution. Stephens, author Of the
Book Of the Farm and the Farmers Guide,
says: 9"As to the breed which shows the
greatest disposition to fatten, together with
a due proportion Of lean, never saw one
equal to that which was originated by Lord
Western in Essex. They were exceed
ingly gentle, indisposed to travel far, not
very prolific, however, but could attain if
kept on TO great weight, SO compact in
form, and small of bone and offai, that they
invariably yielded greater weight Of pork
than was Judged of before being slaughter
ed. The offal was small but more deli
cious ham was never cured than that al.
forded.''
Martin says: "These animals fatten
quickly, grow rapidly, and yield very SUI
perior meat. The hogs when fattened will
some times weigh 26 or % stones { Ia Ibs.) J
oitener l3 or 90"-equal to 95elo 392
pounds
The only animals of this breed in this
country, within our knowledge, are in the
possession Of L. G. Morris. Esq, Of Ford
ham, Winchester county, New York, or
Of persons. who havo obtained the stock
Of him. His, first importation was made
about a year since, and his last the past
autumn. Some of these animals were
procured directly from W. Fisher Hobbs.
and were of that gentleman best stock
A variety Of the Sussex breed is close
~ allied to, and may be identical with the
Essex Some Of this variety were intro
duced into this country several years since
by Henry Parsons, now OF Guelph, Cana
ia West. The writer Of this article OBJ
tanned the stock of Mr.. Parsons, and from
the experience Of several years ean say
he never had any swine that gave more
weight of carcass in proportion to the food
consumed, and never any which equalled
them in quality of meat.
There is a white, or nearly white yarie.
ty of Essex. Specimens were imported
by the late Mr.; Stickney, a par. of which
are now in the possession OF Mr.. II. Il.
Wllliams,of Roxbnry. s....s,sl. ..--,4..sr.~
The BERKsHIRE BREED.-The old Berk-
shire was hog Of nearlvthe largest class.
He is described as having been mostly
black, with a large frame, and a large pen
dant ear. Martin says: sThey were
often found to weigh from l00to 100 stones.
of 8 pounds 10 the stone" Culley men,
iions one which, in ITS, 'weighed alive
l2 cwt. q qrs. 10 lbs., and when killed and
dressed weighed 10 cwt. 8 qrs. and IA lbs,
avoirdupois."
The model breed is the result of vari.
Gus mixtures of the old with smaller breeds.
Youatt says the old Berkshire has been
crossed with the Siamese, Chinese, Nea-
politan-a statementwhich is corroborated
by others. ltwas for while very pop.
ular breed in this country. Many Of our
people have reason to remember the
uBerkshire feyer''-some from the money
they gained, Others from the money they
lost by it. During the excitement in re-,
gard 10 the breed, il was represented by
spectators as far more valuable than any
other, and specimens were sometimes sold
as high as, $500 to $500 a, head. But
their popularity. soon declined. and from
the hight to which they had been raised,
they quickly went down to the opposite ex
treme, in general estimation. The causes
of this reyersion of public opinion were
various. One, and not the least import
ant. was the exaggerated representations
which their advocates made of fheir mer-
| its. This produced a reaction. People
did not find them 10 come up TO the false
standard which enthusiasts or sharpeis had
made, and being disappointed ia this re-
fused to see or acknowledge the'true value
which belonged to the breed. Another
cause of their decline was the character
of their meat. The Berkshire is, in all
its phases a ean-meated hog. Hence the
pork was not adapted to barreling- the
carcass lacked the clear fat which the un-
mixed packers wanted. - -
But it may be supposed the pork was
we'll adapted to the iresh-meat market. and
to the mode of curing practised at the
South, before spoken Of. This was the
case. to- q certain extent. Some of the
Berkshires were well suited to these pur-
poses. y The breed, however, varied great
ly iu. character. They were large or small,
according as the old Berkshire, or the
breeds with which they have been mixed,
predominated. The large. .lop-eared ones,
which weighed 900 or 700 lbs., dressed
were often coarse, ,feshed, and not liked
on that account. The very smallest, par.
taking most Of the Siamese character, had
la lack of constitution, and were not pro.
| life, but their flesh was 6ne and good; and
the medium sized ones, weighing abou,
800 lbs !, dressed, at sixteen to eighteen
months old, were in every respect useful
animals for these purposes. We may add
further, in explanations Of the Berkshires
not having succeeded at the south. that
they appeared not adapted to the climate,
and in many yinstancest became unhealthy
Judging the Berkshires as they appear.
ediih this country, they are less uniforms