Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1870-01-28
Oh ESTER WHITE HOGS.

The Chester White is not an orig
inal breed Of hogs, but is derived
from cross Of the best stock in Eng
land with the Chinese or Siamese hog.
From these two, the former large and
somewhat coarse, the latter smaller
and with fine points, a breed has
been obtained which grows to good
size, tat,ens quickly and easily and
makes the best quality Of pork at a
very small cost. Several of these I'M
proved hogs were imported to Ches
ter Co, Pa, o7er sixty years ago,
since which time the stock has been
carefully bred by number Of our
best farmers.
The breed has been still further i'm
proved in this country by Introducing
Il strain of Suffolk blood, though ii
has reduced the size. This is doubt
less an Improvement over the coarse,
heavy hog, as grown by some breed
ors in this country, which does not
mature early and suffers great loss in
waste and otfal. \ neat medium hog,
weighing about four hundred pounds,
from twelve 10 fifteen months old, is
sufficiently large for farmers, and
more profitable than the large coarse
size. The Chester White as bred in
this vicinity is more profitable for the
farmer, both for use and trade, than
amy other. i, produces more pork on
given quantity of feed in a shorter
time than any other breed. The Chi
ncse hoe, from which, crossed with
the English hog, the Chester White
is obtained, is the best for its size,
and in some respects known. The
flesh is exquisitcly delicate, especial
iy that OF the sucking pig, and 1t fat
tens rapidly and at little cost. Yet
it yields so much fat that it fails to
make the finest bacon. II is little
tender, too, and does not thrive in the
western ATTITUDES, where the weather
is severe. For crossing with other
breeds it has proved very beneficial
and useful, and the nearest approach
to it in this country is the Prince AL
bert Suffolk, which is derived chiefly
from the Chinese breed. The latter,
though they do not grow to great
weight, fatten early and produce the
sweetest quality of bacon.
The Chester White, as bred here,
possesses all the good qualities Of the
Prince Albert Suffolk, together with
the large size required by the selcc-
ton of animals of this stock for breed
ing. There is bad and indifferent
stock among the best breeds, which
should always be rejected, in order
TO preserve and improve them. The
following rules apply in the selection
of Chester Whites, and may be used
with advantage for other breeds as
well. The strain from which the
breeder selects should be noted for
fertility. In breeding sow this quail
ity is essential, and is inherited. She
should be a careful mother, with
a sufficient number of dugs for a lit
ter Of twelve, never less than ten. A
Young, untried brood sow will display
the instinct which predominant in the
breed to which she belongs. Both
the boar and SOW should be sound
aud healthy, and in fair but not very
fat condition, to breed well. The
Chester White is noted for its good
size and health, for fattening rapidly
and early and for good form. Form
as applied to hogs, relates to the de-
velopment Of those points which Sc
cure profit and economy to the own
err and breeder. These points in the
Chester w aite denote the degree Of
purity of blood. The head should be
of medium size, high at the forehead
and short, with animated and lively
ewes. The ears should be Of medi
um size, thin, sharp and half croop-
ing The checks shonld / e deep and
full, the neck deep, and di>hing grace
fully from tie back OF the head, merg-
ing gradually into broad breast
The shoulders shonld be set well
\ { at the collar bone, the body
pa be deep, round, we'll barreled,
mould y, chest, broad loins, and
win amp. broad back. The tail
tral2ht, Hat, or, the hams round,
h9u!d be sien4, loped; the limbs
all and well dove. y, small joints, |
ne boned, with clea. ',oofs closely
ndlng in good compact oalth the
ct together. lin pertect1 hold
1imal vii! be lively, animated, = is
p It's head and move freely. l,
zen in good breeding condition.
The bristles should be fine and
lthcr scanty, so as to allow the skin c
, show through, which should be f
,hitc and glossy. The color of the c
nimal should be pure white, but oc- '
small black spot or two c
ppears in some strains OF the best I
pecimens. This doubtless comes c
ON the black Chinese breed, w ich /
AS also crossed with the English c
og in Bedfordslire, England, though 5
ne white was generally selected. The +
ure white should always be select Y
4, in order to preserve the charac t
sristics Of the breed, but fine hog V
Mould not be rejected because small t
lack spots appear.-Deitz's Farm r
o,vnal. il
r