The Cecil Whig., 1870-10-22
Thoroughbred Swine.

On no branch of stock breeding has there
been less attention bestowed than on that
of swine; yet in the West, for the last ten
years, we think no stock has paid better.
A good hog properly cared for, will bring
his owne" profit, while poor hog will
sometimes bring HIM in debt.
There is perhaps more difference between
thorough bred and grade swine than any
other class of stock. Many farmers keep
all their hogs in one field, fed from one
trough. In the fall, on going to the yard
to select for marketing purposes, they find
some twice as large and i'll twice rs good
condition, on the same feed, as others
These are among those which are thrown
| into the market, as they car realize more
ready money for them in a short time;
while the breeders are selected from the
leaner hogs. The tendency Of such man.
agement being to degenerate their stock,
they find in short time that they are get
ting, from a given amount of feed, only
about half the pork which their neighbors
produce by keeping good stock of hogs.
There is perhaps no other breed of hogs,
the reputation of which, throughout our
whole country, stands as high as the Ches-
ter White. They have short heads, short
legs, good hams, good shoulders, and are
broad i'll the chest, giving them good lungs.
They are invaribly white, with generally
Topped ears. They keep easily, will fatten
at any age, and are gerry quiet. We are
aware that some claim that they have had
the Chester Whites, and that they are a
large, coarse breed, which will not fatten
for market until they are from one to two
years old.
We have seen class of hogs which
bears almost fully the description given
by these men: They have long noses,
long legs, are thin through the ham and
body, and resemble the Chester White
only in their color and ears. We have
traced the pedigree of some of these hogs
to Chester county, Pa, and very likely
there is some Chester blood in them, but
by far greater proportion of some coarse
breed very unlike the Chester. We do not
suppose that all the hogs in Chester county
are thoroughbred Chester Whites: the
great reputation of this breed, ard the
| speculative demand fer them, has undoubt-
edly been the means of placing in the mar
ket grades containing some Chester blood,
while some have supposed that all white
lop-eared hogs were Chester Whites. Mr..
n. P. Boyer says of this hog: The Ches-
ter County Whites are very solid, large
sized and small boncd have good square
form; deep and wide apart, plenty of play
for the lungs, very heavy hams and shoul
ders, broad in the back, short head and
legs and without exception, always white;
they readily fatten while young or at any
age, and will grow to weigh from 500 to
800 pounds at from ii to 16 months old
They will make more pork in given
| length of time with given quantity of
food than any other breed Of hogs. We
have had them to weigh 1880 pounds at
81 months old. They are very quiet, keep
easily in good condition on 4 small quanti-
ty of food, while the sows are very careful
mothers. This breed of hogs has always
been very free from disease of every kind
Mr.. D. A. Lille, of this State gentleman
of high reputation, who bred these for
seven years, says: The Chester is a hog OF
fine build, but large size, combining more
eminently than any other excellencies of
both large and small breeds, being docile,
good feeders, breeders and suckers, fatten-
ing readily at any age, and yet attaining
great weight at maturity. They arc well
covered with white hair, have good backs,
ham and shoulders, round ribs and fine
style generally"
The above are very good descriptions of
the style of hogs which have earned so ex-
tensive reputation for the Chester County
Whites; and the fact that some coarse
grades have been palmed off for thorough
breds can never convince any intelligent
breeder or farmer who has ever had the
real Chester White that they are not a
good styled hog. We know of no other
breed more quiet, or better calculated to
produce Fall pork from Spring pigs.
Spring pigs, properly cared for, may be
made to produce from three to six hundred
pounds Of pork each in from eight to ten
months. We claim for our hogs of this
breed as good blood as bred by any parties,
east or west, and as good style as can be
produced. We do not, like some breeders,
breed wholly for size, at the sacrifice of
style and fattenins qualities but care not
how large they will grow if they are of
good style, will fatten readily at any age,
and make the most pork from given guam
tity of feed.