The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1876-06-22
The Berkshire swine.

From American Agriculturist, Tor June.
Decidedly the most popular breed Of
swine OF the present day, is the Berk.
shire. That it is black in color, Is only
an objection to those who form their
opinions from prejudice rather than from
knowledge, rs the color is not even Skin
Deep" and Berkshire ham, or side OF
bacon, when freed from hair, is not to be
distinguished from the same parts of
white pig. The Berkshire is not classed
amongst the large breeds, nor can it be
placed amongst the small breeds. In this
respect it holds an intermediate place,
though specimens occasionally reach a
very respectable size, and compete favor
ably with the heaviest swine. No breed
has undergone more elaborate process
of improvement than the Berkshire.
Originally of tawny or reddi:h sandy
color, spotted with black, with large lop
ears, hanging down over the eyes, and
coarse in form and feature, the breed has
been brought to nearly entirely black
color, the face, tail, and feet only, being
in small part spotted with white. The
form has been refined and filled out, the
bone also refined, the shoulders and hams
rounded and broadened, and the sides,
deepened, until no more handsome bacon
swine now exist than these. The ears
are pricked and much lessened in size.
This animal leaves nothing to be desired
IN the way of profitable pig, either for
farmer, or n feeder who keeps but one
or two animals tor his supply OF hams
and bacon. The most CONSPICUOUS rem
nant of the old fashioned Berkshire, left
in its modern relative, is the pinkish hue
of the skin, which distinguishes it readily
from the other black breeds, such as the
Essex or the black Suffolk. Originally
there were two distinct varieties of this
breed, that which was wholly white, and
that which was principally black. The
white Berkshires we have not seen OF
late, nor at all in the United States, hav-
ing seen but few Of them some years
ago in the yards of Canadian breeder,
who imported them. These were known
rs the Windsor breed, and, with the
Coleshill, another white variety, still ex-
ist in England. 1t is, as black breed
only, that we know the Berkshire. The
chief points of the breed are ss follows:
moderately short head, dished face,
nose straight and not turned up, as in
some small breeds, ears generally prick
ed, although dropping ears, while not de
slrable, are not incompatible with purity
OF blood, color black, with purpllsh tinge,
and not dead black like that of the Es-
sex, sometimes the color shows u slaty
blush tnge, doubtless derived from cross
ing with the Neapolltan. The eyes are
not sunken and small, but large, bright,
and intelligent; the back is broad and
level, but the barrel is not so round; rs
in the Essex or the Suffolk the sides are
deep, and the rump dropping, with the
tail often set lower down than the line Of
the hips; the legs are short and strong,
and the feet white; the HAIR varies, ac-
cording to the kind of management, from
a thick coat, soft, silky, and free from
harshness and bristles with those that
have plenty of outdoor exercise, to a.
finer, but not weak coat III those
that are closely penned; and flesh has
good mixture of fat and lean. When
properly fed, the pigs reach weight OF
from 800 to 800 pounds, at year old, If
the animal is well kept from birth. The
history OF the Berkshire rs tavorlte with
feeders and breeders, dates back only for
Is years, and 1t can justly be said that it
Is only now that it is finding its proper
position amongst farmers in spite of the
prejudice against its color and wholly
through its undenisble merits.