The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1886-04-08
THE BERKSHIRE HOG.
History of It's Introduction Into the I'M
ted States.

ted regularly with dark brown o
black spots and by their having n
bristles. Their hair was long thil
and somewhat curly and lookel
ough. The ears were fringed witt
long hair around the outer edg
which gave them a ragged or feath
cry appearance. The body. wa,
thick, compact and well formed
The legs short, the sides broad, tn,
head well set, the snout short, the
jowl thick, the ears erect, the skin
exceedingly thin in texture, thu
flesh firm and we'll favored and The
bacon superior"
| Hogs of the pure original breed
have been known to attain to an
immense size, and weigh as .mnch
as 800 to 900
The present improved breed Of
Bel kshire, swine, tradition says,
was made by cross of the black OF
deep plum colored Siamese boar on
the oh unimproved Berkshire
soWs. Other traditions assert that
the black and white spotted AID
even the pure white Chinese boar
was also sparingly used to assist in
improving the breed.
The produce of the above crosses
was next bred together by judicious
subsequent selections, the'Improved
breed as we now find it became
IN due time fixed and permanent in
| I'll tie Iocsro hla
1t is said that the present type OF
Berkshire swine is over a century
old Mr.. A. B. Allen states that
when he visited England in 1S4l
that Mr.. Westbrook of Plnkncy
Green, Bysham, told him that his
father possessed then. as early as
the year 1880 in as great perfection
as the best then existing in the
country.
The improved Berkshire could
be fattened at any age. The meat
of the improved Berkshire, like
that of the unimproved, abounds in
mach greater proportion of sweet,
tender juicy lean, well marbled
with very fine streaks of fat, than
other breede of swine, but the form
er is much more delicate now than
the latter ever was.
Mr., Allen says that the first i'm
portation of Berksbires made to the
United. States, of which he could
find and record was in 1928 by Mr.
Jno. Brentnall an English farmer
who settled in English Neighbor-
hood, New Jersey. The next we're
imported in 1882 by Sidney Halves,
an English farmer who settled in
Albany, New York and he sub
sequently made other importations.
In 1888 few followed into Canada
and some of the western states. :.
In 1889 Messrs. Bagg & Wait,
English farmers who had settled in
Orange county, New York, began
their large importations which they
contintinned for several years, dis
posing of them mainly in Kentucky,
Tennessee, Missouri and the south.
In 1S4l Mr.. Allen states that be
selected In Berkshire, England, up
ward of 40 head of the choicest of
the improved breed of swine he
could find there, Since the breed
ers from the United States have
from time to time imported the
choicest and many of the prize
taking Berkshires of England.
About the year 1875 the Berkshire
breeders of the United States and
Canada effected an organization
called the American Berkshire As
ISOLATION. They adopted a stand
ard Of excellence for Berkshire
swine as follows.
Color, black with white on feet,
face, tip of tail and an occasional
spash on arm.
Face and snout short, the form
er fine and we'll dished and board
between the eyes.
Eye clear, rather large, dark ha-
eel or gray. Ear generally almost
erect, but sometimes inclined for
ward with advancing age, medium
size thin and soft.
Jowl, full and heavy, running
back on peck.
Neck short and broad on top. !.
Hair fine and soft, medium thick
ness.
Skin smooth and pliable.
Shoulder thick and even, broad
on top, and deep through chest.
Back, broad short and strait.
Ribs well sprung, coupling close
up to hip.
Sides deep and well let dewO,
straight on bottom line.
Flank well back and low down
on leg, making nearly straight
line with lower part of sides
Loin full and wide.
Ham deep thick, extending well
up on hack and holding thickness
well down TO hook.
Tail well set up on back tapering
and not coarse.
Legs short, straight and strong,
set wide apart, with hoofs erect aud !
capable of holding good weight.
Symmetry, well proportion through
out, depending largely on condition.
Condition for good healthy,
growing state, not over fat.
Style attractive, spirited, inkica-
tive of thorough breeding and con-
vigor.
In 1876 was published the lst
of the American Berkshire
Record. Since then six other vol
umes have followed. This was,
believe the first attempt to publish
of swine. Many OF our
Tennessee breeders neglected at the
beginning to register their Berk-
shIres and some excellent strains
are now excluded by the ru es OF
the ass, citation.
1t is so easy now to procure well
bred, registered stock that no
breeder OF pure Berkshises should
neglect having stock that can b.
registered,
l propose now to give my recol-
lections of the Berkshire hog as in
troduced and bred in this part OF
Tennessee. At very early age
became interested in the rearing OF
swine. My father gave me at the