The patron of husbandry. (Columbus, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1882-06-24
The Jersey Red swine.

Red Berkshire, retaining some of
the characteristics ofthat breed as it
existed some thirty years or more
ago, when the white markings were
supplied by red. They had been
improved as all other distinct breeds
were by careful selection by the
farmers of New Jersey, until they
had new-acquired qualities as dis
tinct as those of the Essex, Suffolk,
or any other well known breed with
marked and fixed traits. The pre-
potency of the full blood Jersey Red
was such as to appear and generally
prevail over the peculiarities of
other breeds with which it is crossed,
fact which seems to support the
belief that the Jersey Red of to-day
is lineal defendant of the famous
old Red Berkshire, which all breed
ers will understand is very differ
ent from the trim, black, restless
Berkshire of this day.
1t is fact that many farmers of
New Jersey, after trying other well
known breeds, have returned to the
Jersey Reds as the best and safest
for the pork-raiser. The character
istics of the breed are, as described
by the oldest and largest breeder, a
good coat of fine red hair, occasion
ally interspersed with a fieck of
black; broad faces; thin pendent
or wilted ears; good shoulders; large
developed hams; broad, straight
back, and excellent middle pieces,
the whole supported by fine symeJ.
rical legs, with which they rise and
travel with apparent ease, even
when well fattened, and very sell
dom showing lameness, which has
proven serious objection to many
other breeds, They are apparently
mango proof, and fatten at any age
from pighood up until exceedingly
heavy weights are attained; good
feeders, making them net from
three hundred to four hundred
pounds each when from seven to
ten months old, and from five hum
dred to nine hundred pounds each
net when from one year to twenty
two months of age.
One Jersey farmer raised and
slaughtered during the past sixteen
years four hundred and sixty-three
hogs, about twenty~one months old,
that averaged five hundred and
thirty eight pounds, and dozens of
crops of pigs nine months old
dressed three hundred to three hum
dred and seventy-fve pounds aver
age.
The most notable qualities of
the Jersey Red are healthfulness
and docility. 1t was these traits
that induced me to try them, pre-
ferring, like others, hog not so
liable to cholera, even if not SO
:, 7dsome as some fancy breeds.
They are also very easily cared for
in .nsequence of their remarkable
doci itv-a trait which seems to
sho that they are the descendants
of breed well cared for. But
their fecundity is also remarkable.
Litters are rarely below ten pigs IN
number.
The Jersey Reds now begin to be
sufficiently well known to make
their own way into public favor.
Practical farmers of Indiana who
have tried them find them very desi-
able for crossing in smaller breeds.
In nearly every case.where practi-
cal hog raiser has tried them, he has
expressed surprise that the breed
has not been known and introduced
into the west before. The Jersey
Red is an American breed, as the
Poland China. In the judgment
of those best qualified 10 Judge, it is
destined to equal that just re-
nowned breed of hogs, and In some
parts of 1.-THE country surpass 1t. 1t
comes from healthy, anti MAS
matte region, an inherited tendency
to fatten at any age and acquire
large growth, with these character
istics it is safe to say that it will
gain and retain, especially in the
northwest among hog-raisers, a
place equal, il not superior to that
Of breeds which, however excellent,
are not so we'll adapted to our eli
mate and care. The individual
| who affects to sheer at Jersey Red
swine, never having seen them,
commits the same error that others
! did years ago in attempting to de-
ride Jersey cattle out of existence
He simply publishes bis own igno'
rance and capacity, No really
good breed of Stock can be success
fully and permanently talKed VI
or down,-J. p. Lucas,