The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1861-04-11


In the Farmer Of Jan. 5th. the qucs.
ton is asked. Which is the better breed
Of hogs, the Suffolk OF the Chester
White?' Ny experience with the two
breeds extends back only three years,
yet am now fully convinced Of the SUI
periority Of the latter raise both,
though neither extensively, and they all
receive like care and feed; as to my orig
inal stock, there was no advantage upon
either side, all my purchases being made
from reliable men. My first pair Of
SuHolks was shipped to me by Gen j s.
Goe, Of Brownsville, Pa. 1 have had
three small shipments Of the Chester
Whites from Chester Co., Pa. The cX
pcriencc Of those who have been longer
in the business is worth moro than mine,
yet since 1857, l have raised quite
number Of litters; have kept several an
imals all the time intervening, so that ]
could compare breeds at different ages,
and have fatted Of both kinds. The
| friends Of the SufFUlks claim for them,
first, that they arc more easily fatten-
cd second, mature earlier; third, excel
/ in genteness of disposition. As for the
frst claim, my experience has been, that
| the same amount Of food given to q
Chester and a Suffolk, will produce more
pork in the former; he will gain faster
| in flesh. When kept together and ro-
cciving the same attention, the Chesters
have always been quite as fat as their
rivals in pig notoriety. Perhaps during
the summer months they consumed moro
grass, as they eat largely Of it, but in
winter they had not this advantage.
And were it granted that more feed is
required by them than by the Suffolks,
! is that an objection when the increase
Of pork is considered? Shorthorns are
generally considered the best breed Of
cattle; much of their superiority con-
sists in their great size, and in being
good feeders, futtening in shorter time
than most others But cattle are rails
ed for other purposes than beef and
Shorthorns do not rank highest either
for milk or for the yoke; yet their supe-
rior qualities for beef have brought
them into almost universal favor.
Swine are raised only for pork. The
Chester Whites have invariably put on
more flesh under my care, in the same
time. Now. if we can get more pork,
and of nearly, if not, as l think, qHitc
as good quality, from the same amount
Of food, is not that the breed which all,
and especially farmers, should raise?-
Farmers in this ncighborhood appreci-
ate the iattening qualities of the Chest.
ers; and | have known them, when buy.
ing pigs for their pens, to make Partic
ular inquiry for half,bloOd Chesters.-
To-day there is a greater demand for
this breed and its grades, than for any
other AS for early maturity, l sup
pose it is true, that the SuHolks attain
their growth sooner, but at all ages the
Chester is easily futtened. What, then
is gained by the raiser Of Sufolks? On,
year ago, killed a pig eleven month,
old, that dressed over four hundred
pounds. For the first six months, hi,
feed was that Of the running lot, and
at any time during the last four months
he was fit for the knife; sight Of hin
when dressed would almost make a Jew
wish he were a Jew no longer. But tho
"Sufolks are of quiet, gentle disposj
ton" so are the Chcsters; they are RoR'
Of your long-legged, lank sided, long
nosed, wood breeds" that are content
only when moving; and although Chest
ers are not wholly free from the koggiSb
ness common to all hogs, ! have always
found them quiet enough, and gentl'
enough, too
The females are excellent mothers
are good suckers, quite prolific, anc
their young arc very hardy. DOW
have Suffolk SOW that has pigs three
weeks old, and a Chester SOW with lit
ter aged one week To-day, Jan 10Th
the young Chcsters arc having rogu
lar play spell in their pen, but the Suf
folks, with good shelter, are huddled TO-
gether, shivering with the cold.-[J
KIRKPATWCK, SEN, Ellsworth, Ma
honing County, Ohio.
Tvv DrYv ON g,1rp nyr,gr r.,