The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1869-12-11
a short Talk About swine.

| of civilized hogs, with certain rather nice
| points of difference, but all Of them vast i'm
prO7ements on the savage nocturnal prOwl
crs, with ivory tusks and brIstling backs,
! from which they are all descended Our
| hogs came from England. The original hog
| brought hither by Canadian and New Eng
land colonists was a direct descendant from
the wild boar Of English forests; but he had
been crossed upon a small-boned, tine-fa-
vored swine from China. From his nature
and habits, his ability to make a living and
become feshy in the forests, his fondness
| for roots, worms, and nuts, the hog wa s
and over large portion of our land con
tinues to be the most profitable and the most
useful of our domestic animals. The pio-
neer depends almost wholly on game from
the forests and on pork for his flesh diet No
people are such consumers of swine flesh
as the Americans, and on account of the
profit from this animal, our farmers began
many years ago to import famous breeds
frun beyond the seas. These breeds are
named from the counties of England where
the family originated, or where certain
style of porker being preferred has been for
many years bred with much care and sue
ces. The first of the breeds in time most
widely distributed is the Berkshire. He is
never pure white hog, but either black or
reddish brown, and often spotted. The
bristies of the true Berkshire are never large
and stiff not even along the spine, but fre-
quently curl somewhat, and are generally
thicker and more glossy than the covering
of the other breeds He is small boned
compact, with short legs, fattens fast and
makes the best of bacon. The original
Berkshire was long, rather coarse looking
hog, with big timber ears, slow feeder,
that could, however, In time be brought to
great weights In England it is found de-
sirable every six or seven years to cross the
Berkshire upon the small, round Chinese
swine When the bree was first extensive
ly introduced in this country, great things
were expected of it, and it was clear ad
vance upon the average American hog. But
the Berkshire will not endure Toughness !;
he falls off when sent to the woods, and Is
a poor pioneer. But when well kept from
the litter till ready for the sealding tub and
fatted fast, he attains great weight, often
900 or TOO pounds.
The Essex breed, especially the family
kown as the Essex half-blacks, resemble the
Berkshire in color, but have smaller heads
and ears, and short, snubby noses. The Es-
sex breeders describe them as being of fine
bone, broad and deep In the belly. full in
the hind quarters, and light in the Ofal.
The sows generally have large families, from
| pigs early. In disposition they are said to
| be rather restless, and at the trough they
are great consumers, showing less flesh for
what they eat than some other breeds.
The Suffolk is a small -boned finegrained
hog, and in England he is considered di-
rect descendant of the Chinese, with little
| or none Of the blood of the old savage boar
of the British forests. Their flesh is consid-
cred finer than the other breeds, and the
young pigs of the Suffolk, killed for roasters,
cannot be beat But when the object is to
grow the biggest hog on the least food the
Suffolk cannot be recommended.
We have two sorts Of hogs known by the
name of Chester-one so named from Ches-
ter, in England, whence they were imported
and the other the Chester White, from
Chester County, Penn, near Philadelphia.
For pork producers in general, 1t Is doubt.
ful whether a better swine can be recon
mcnded than Chester White.
He has few bristles, and they are so far
apart as to expose to sight much of his clear
pink skin He is Of lazy, happy temper
more content with small range, and less
speculative and curious in his habits, than
ether breeds He seldom frets even when
underfed, and when his diet is generous-as
it always should be--he responds promptly
and exactly to the attentions he receives
InG AuOSb dBpAOfCO JOtAIS Oh SAlO CACoSOA
White are length and breadth of carcass
breadth of back small bone, remarkabl ly
small head, short neck, dished face, straight
hair, and straight back The breed wa;
started by Bedfordshire boar crossed upor
the best native stock of Chester County
More hogs of remarkable weight, consider
ing their age can be shown in this county
than in any part of the country. lhert
are instances of whole herds coming up tt
the extraordinary average of 500 pounds.
But if size Is the main object of the farm
er, the Cheshire is his breed. This variety
is made specially in Jefferson County, n
Y, and this region has sent for many years
past remarkably fine hogs to the state Fair
The judges of the exhibition at Saratoga, IL
1866, thus summed up the good qualities o
the Cheshire They are as now shown a
the fairs as handsome hog as can be de
| sired. Pure white in color, with fine stand
up ears, their hair of great length, square
backs full ham and shoulders round bodies
handsome head, full cheeks, and very fat.
little Yorkshire blood and high feeding
probably tell the story
In 1862, Hon Ezra Cornell attended al
exhibition of the Royal Agricultural Society
of England, and gave an excellent report o
what he saw. He had Opportunity for com
pairing all these breeds, and we adopt hi
! words as the sum and substance of the mat
ter of breeds IN swine: " The question 0
choosing seemed to be reduced to that O
size; if large hog is desired, the York
shires and Cheshires will furnish it if
small one will suit best, the Essex or th
Suffolk will be your choice while if yo'
desire to cut barrell of mess pork between
the ham and shoulder, and pair of ham
that an epieure might envy, the Berkshlr
will do It.