The Richmond Indiana palladium., 1855-04-13
NINE.

Of Patents, some two years ago. making
different and distinct breed necessary for
almost every State. are 10 be taken as literally
true. May itnos be fairly questioned whether
there are really many distinct breeds of
swine as there appear to be?
And might not better knowledge of animal
physiology aid US in accounting for the fact
that different breeds Of swine are so often
recommended for the same or a neighboring
i'eaiity? Or TO be more explicit. has it not
OF en- been found true. that of the same litter
Of pigs some die and some live-and Of those
that live, part shall do we'll and the rest shall
not? And what butcher Of swine is not
familiar with tie fact, that the post naortem
examination often reveals the diseased liver.
with its large small ulcers, worms in the
inestines requiring a considerable part OF tie
food taken by tie animal for their supPori,
other diseased organs. not easily detected.
even when the animal is slaughtered and al
most always unsuspec:ed ill them In shcrt,
may notadveniitious circumstances have often.
most undeservedly, given complexion 10
ideas Of the value of our breeds of swine?"
The following from the Agriculture of
Massachusetts,, for 1858. compiled by our in
detatigable Secretary. Mr.. Flint. page 364,
will show how little reliance be placed
upon opinions often formed and expressed
upon this subject. The question put to gem
tiemen in different parts of the country, con
tanned in the United States Commissioners
circular. was. What is the best breed ofhogs?'
and says the writer, New Hampshire answers
The Suffolk Connecticut, A mixture of the
old fashioned hog with Berkshire and the
China breed does very well; New York, by
three of her citizens separately, says, 'Berk
shircs and Leicesters;' New Jersey answers,
a cross with the Berkshire Pennsylvania
says, "A cross of the Berk slnres and Chester
County; Virginia says, Irish GrazIer and
mixed Berkshire are our common stock
Georgia answers The best breeds for the
climate are the Woburn and Grazicr;;' Missis-
sippi says, The best hogs | have tried are the
Berkshires,' Texas. Irish Grazier;' Tennessee
says. The common old Grazer mixed with
the Hindoo breed And without following
the language too literally il may be added,
that while Kentucky is satisfied with the .Wo-
burn only, her more voracious neighbor,
Ohio, must have the Leicester Bedford
Chinese, and the 'Calcutta;' and while Mis-
souri, takes a cross of the black Berkshire
and the white Irish Florida says that for
the range, shift yourself system, the
long nosed Pike stands A No. l.
And when 1t appears as 1t does from the
same source, that hundred pounds of corn
yield in some but eight pounds Of pork
and in others forty pounds, it would seem
that there must be something more than the
peculiarities of breed to be taken into the
count in explaining these results. Nor indeed,
le. it be distinctly understood, that the acci
dents OF diseased organs, etc. referred to.
would account for all this variety of opinion;
and least of all would we intimate that gen
tlernen answer the Commissioner without
suitable reflection. But great as is the CON
fusion and apparent number of breeds, and
the mixing up of breeds, there might be found
10 be less of both. We think. if the accidents
were fewer, or If we were better able to de-
tect them.
1t is fair question, and an important one
10 begin with What and how mans breeds
Of hogs are there really distinct? Some are
SO, clearly-but the question is not easily de-
termined, and no discussion of it is proposed
in this report. The generally received opin
ion is. that the Suffolk is a distinct. original
breed Let it be so considered Now. is it
the best breed for general use in the county OF
Essex? Is II not, even though 1t is true that
the pork of this breed is much esteemed. and
generally commands from one TO TIVE cents
a pound extra in Boston market The reason
is obvious; they come to maturity at very
early age, and never, or rarely weigh more
than $50 to $40 pounds. There is a real
difficulty In keeping them from taking on tat.
it is said. iii order To their getting any con>ld-
med the Committee. while examining his pure
Suffolk boars. that he could with difficulty
keep them low enough in flesh to answer for
breeders or to bring to the show. Their keep
ing had been one quart of meal day, with
the house slops. and apples, both sweet
and sour; and upon this keeping they were fat.
Notwithstanding the large one had served for
forty-two sows. and the small one for twenty
to thirty. since last spring. II seems there
fore now clear, that the Sufolks. being easy
TO fat (indeed. being always tat, it is said.
after being a month old, J are a suitable breed
10 cross with.
The only remaining difficulty is. to know
and obtain the breed for crossing with
them And first, ii should not be the Chinese.
because they incline to fatten too much on the
belly and too little the back, and besides,
according 10 Youatt they 10 oily. and do
not make good bacon. Neither should they
cross with either the Berkshire or Byfeld. be-
cause both are too small and snug boned, TO
make large hog. But probably, 10 put
case within the reach of all almost any of the
large kind, 'old fashioned kind, would
make good crossing with the Suffolk
"As the Agriculture of Massachusetts, by
Mr.. Flint. referred TO in the early part OF this
Report. is not likely 10 be seen by all who
may see our County Socie,y's Transactions,
IL maV not De amtS> 10 draW upon lie nepoEt
of the Norfolk County Society's Committee on
Swine, for las. year. in relation TO one point.
1t is report prepared with great care, and
contains. moreover. a treatise upon swine, by
Sanford How ard Of unusual value
The point about 10 be mentioned, taken
from the report. referred 10. is discussed by
another writer. This writer starts the idea, (
and refers TO Giles. in Philosophical Transac
tons for 1851 as an authority for the theory.
that the made. By rhora the female is destined TO
rscstpe her arst progeny. stamps characfer