Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1862-09-05

a suitable cross-a cross that will refine the
| quality Of meat, hair and skin, and perfect
| the form.
The MAcIE.-Mr. Magic of Butler county,
| Ohio, was an early breeder of the old fash
Toned Berkshire-a coarse hog, which, some
thirty years since, was generally sought after.
Upon the abatement OF the Berkshire fever,
Mr.. Magic still retained some Of the better
specimens, and upon these made judicious
crosses, and fer some fifteen or twenty years
past, has been v&y successful breeder of
large swine, which for several years past has
been known as the Magic breed" The Ma
gle is large hog, generally black and white,
with very quiet isposition-droopng ears,
not very coarse hair, has good back and
loin, is well ribbed out, and can be fatted
promptly at any age. We do net speak from
positive knowledge, but the resemblance leads
us to believe that one of the more rcce at
crosses used by Mr.. Magic, has been the "Pe-
land" Mr.. Moss, Of Hardin county, Iowa,
brought into this State, some four years or
more since, pair of large pigs, called the
Moss breed" they being said to have orig
mated from ali importation made several years
since into Connecticut and crossed since with
the best swine in the neghborhood in which
MIR. Moss lived, without regard to the breed,
except to preserve good size, and absence
from black in the hair. Here again we can
look 70 the Leicester, as the progenitor, the
indications being very conclusive that the
stronger marks presented by the Moss, have
sprung from that breed. The Mess hog, if
kept up by judicious crossing, will be OF no
little value to the country.
The improved BERKSHIRE" is link be-
tween the larger and smaller breeds, and
when pure, Is a very desirable breed Of swine.
Possessed Of great hardness, the sows are
good breeders, good nurses, and the pigs be-
ing very active and hardy, are easy to rear.
While young, say from three to ten months,
they are not so much inclined to take on flesh
as the Suffolk or Essex, but at the proper
age Tor fattening, they will fatten and grow
promptly, and present carcass of excellent
form for selling in the market, whether on
foot, in the carcass, or in the barrel.
THE SCFFoLK.-And perhaps the next en-
quiry is, "What do you think of the Suffolk"
Nearly every neighborhood in the United
States has tried the Suffolk, and the public
are fully appraised of its merits and dement's.
This trial has resulted in showing that an ex-
cellent cross can be made upon the larger
common swine Of the country, by the use of
the Suffolk male, resulting in an easy fatten-
ing, thrifty growing hog, presenting all that
can be desired in form and disposition, to
fatten at any age, much preferred in city mar
kets, and for family use, to the larger breeds.
Pigs, resulting from the Suffolk, Essex or
Berkshire cross, rating from 80 to 80 pounds,
fat and clean, uniformly command about one
cent a pound in city markets, more than
heavy swine. The same state Of things holds
in England The writer has bred largely
from Suffolk stock, and finds that pigs weigh
ing 14O to $50 pounds dressed are a very
excellent size for the making Of bacon. The
hams will weigh ten to thirteen pounds, just
the right weight to sell at fancy prices. 1t
is said Of the Suffolk, that it is tender breed
and that the pigs are difficult to rear. With
the pure bloods, there is some cause for this
complaint. The pigs however, from Suffolk
male, and from coarse, hardy sows, are gen.
orally not delicate
TIE EssEx-This is a black, light haired
breed, about the size of the Suffolk, very
fine formed, easy feeding animal. The fc-
males are not good mothers, and give but lit
tie milk. The Essex has not obtained much
favor in this country.
Shall acc breed Large or Small S5oine?-
This question must be settled mainly by the
location of the breeder, and by the fact as to
whether he can fatten fine bred pigs that
weigh $50 to 200 pounds, enough cheaper
per 100 pounds, than he can 800 to 400 hogs
to enable him to sacrifice the usual difference
of fifty cents per hundred in favor Of heavy
hogs. This, in the West, away from city
markets, is the point upon which the ques
ton must turn. If we can avail ourselves Of
breed Of large swine, that will deposit as
many pounds Of fat from bushel Of corn,
as the smaller breeds will, then of course, FOL
the market, that is the breed the farmer Sho'd
rear, whether it be a fine or a coarse breed
CONCLUDED NEXT WEEK.