The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1881-02-10

we do have to travel on snowdrifts
and O yer fences. REPORTER.
Jersey Red or Duroc Swine.
This breed, which is rapidly coming
into favor, dates back to 1928, when
H. Kelsey, owner of the noted horse
Duroc. imported a pair of red hogs
from England. A. M. Frink, of Sara
toga, n. Y. procured a boar pig of a
litter from this pair, and named it
Duroc, after the horse. From this
fact, it was decided at the National
SWINE Breeders convention, held in
Indianapolis, in 1871, that the breed
should be known as Duroc; still there
are many farmers who call them Jer-
sey reds.
We believe they are an excellent
breed of swine for Minnesota. They
are undoubtedly descended from the
old Berkshires, who were often red
ish and sometimes spotted; in fact,
they retain more of the real points of
the original Berkshire, than the mod
ern Berkshires do. Thus, all that
may be said to the contrary, we be-
lieve that the Jersey Red Doroc and
Saratoga Red are the same breed Of
hogs and have for their common an
cestor the old Berkshire, although
scientific breeding and careful man.
agement have made them vastly su-
perior animal.
The reason we think they would be
profitable for the Minnesota farmers
are the ir early maturity, great weight,
hardy constitutions, good coat of hair
to keep them dry in the winter, long,
deep body, with large hams and small
bones and their fondness of grass, on
which they largely subsist during the
summer months, thus saving corn and
other grain from being fed to them.
The sows are good mothers, very quiz
ct and prolific. On account of their
subsisting largely on grass, they are
not subject to mango, and are partic-
ularly free from disease. A cele-
brated writer in the American Agri-
culturalist says: "They take naturally
to grass, and may be wintered on hay
in great part, as they eat as readily
as sheep will do"
Another writer says: ''1n the north
west all breeds are gradually giving
way to the puroc, and statistics Of
last year show that they stand unri.
vailed in weight of carcass. A north
|, ern paper prints the following about
their remarkable weights;
Burlington county, New Jersey, has
been publishing the weights of its
hogs during February. and challenges
the United States to beat them. Mr..
Bodine slaughtered twenty swine,
weighing from 700 down to 400
pounds. Mr.. Harrison killed his,
twenty-one in number, the range from
83l down to $50 pounds Mr.. South
ard killed eighteen, the weights were
from 795 to 6l9 pounds; total, 12,6o0;
average 703. Mr. Carter killed
twenty -one, the weights being from
92l down to 033 pounds; the total, 49,
O35, and the average 7l6 pounds. AL
together, these four crops, eighty
hogs, made an average of about 635
pounds; twepty.four Of them ranging
from 100 to 92l pounds. These figures
are I'LL. Qf course, dressed weights
Elsewhere these hogs have been
astonishing breeders. One lot Of
'thirty.six pigs, full blood Jersey reds,
nine and olle-l,alf months old, weighed
net. when dressed, from 462 down to
1871, the average being nearly :4la
pounds, and the lot sold 1T five and 4
fourth cents per pound. .,.
The breed of hogs Of that is so
easily kept and make such large and
good pork must become q favQrito
breed in Minnesota:==Mls4neapolts
Tribune.