Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1900-02-27
Ihe sReeos or SWINE.

production, or the hog In America, Sec
retary Coburn has given Q terse history
Of or comment on each OF the breeds
having any prominence In the United
States. Some Of his expressions will
not please everybody, especially those
who are inclined to believe that the use
Of the leggy and lardless sorts, % repre-
sented BY certain English types, is essen
tisl to the Yankee hOg-2rower's saliva
tion.
His idea is that the best type Of general
purpose hog that the world has yet seen
Is the one evolved by the American
farmers, or II not, the American farmers
will make It so, and further, that the
American hog-raisers, whatever their
SHORTCOMINGS, know Infinitely more
about pork production than any pre-
sumptuous outsider can tell them. He
SAYS:
1.-THE Poland China breed originated
In the Miami valley, In Butler and war
reu Counties, Ohio, between 1885 and
1910, In the crossing Of various families
there known as Big China, Byaeld, Bed
ford and Irish Grazier, the Offspring
being a large and somewhat coarse
black-and- white-s spotted swine called BY
various names, for which national con-
vention Of wine-breeders, 10 1872, select
ed that Of Poland China. These were
crossed with imported Berkshires to give
refinement and propensity to early fat
tening, and incidentally they acquired
much OF the Berkshire's conformation,
black color and white markings. The
progress made In that region and at that
time was In a measure due TO the near
ness OF Cincinnati, which In those days
WAS the greatest pork-pscking point 10
the world. This popular breed, pre-
eminently an American product, now
numbers as many individuals as all other
breeds combined In the United States.
"The Berkshire in It's improved form
originated, as did the Essex, In England
Italian and Spanish swine being
crossed with the coarser native stock
between l7S0 and 1900 Although first
introduced TO North America about 1880,
IL did not obtain general or permanent
favor until after 1870. The breed Is
widely disseminated In America, and
Justly fsvorite, both 20 breed pure and
10 cross With other breeds.
Chester Whites are the result OF mat
ing some large white stock from Bed
fordshire, England, with the white hogs
common In Chester County, Pennsy'-
vsnia, about 1918 TO 1880, the descend
ants being swine that were gradually
improved BY selection, and have main
tsined their popularity 10 North Amer.
lea better than any other Of their color.
In later years hogs OF dark color are
most largely reared because OF q belief
that they are harder and less susceptible
To affections of the skin incident 10 sud
den changes OF temperature, and the
muddy quarters, severe winds and burn
ing suns TO which they are too often con-
tinuously subjected.
"The Duroc-Jerseys are breed OF
large, sandy hogs thst are the result OF
\ blending in recent years OF families
that first attracted prominent attention
10 New Jersey, where they were known
as jersey Reds with the possibly some
what different type common 10 Ssrstoga
County, New York, and locally known
as 'Durocs' The best OF them are very
easy feeders, full OF quality, and in
many instances carry extreme weight
firmly on bones astonishingly fine.
1.-The Essex are from England, and
entirely black. Few OF them are raised
In the United States, and they are but 4
very limited factor in the pork produc-
tion OF this country.
"The Yorkshires are entirely British,
and 10 England three families OF them
are bred, known a. the Large White,
Middle White and Small white The
Small Whites so nearly resemble what
Americans have known as Suffolks that
an expert IL unable TO tell one from the
other. The Large Yorkshires, or Whites,
and the Tamworths are the breeds 30
much dotted on by the English and the
Canadians as bacon hogs, yielding
possibly not more lean meat, but less
fat, than Is common to the swine OF the
corn-producing regions. They cut no
apprecisble figure whatever In the pork
production Of the United States.
"Tsmworths are q slab-sided, long
legged, big-headed, lardless, unlovely,
red. rusty or sandy, half civilized sort
from England. Like the Berkshires,
their admirers In the United States are
ut present by no means numerous.
s'The Victoriss, q modern composite
sort, we're originated In Lake County,
Indiana, twenty odd years ago, are
white, Of medium size, and comparative
ly unhonored and unsung.
"Poland- Chins, Chester Whites, Du-
roc-Jerseys, Berkshires, Lsrge York
shires, or Whites, and Tsmworths are
properly classed as large breeds; the
Essex and victorias and Middle York
shires as medium-sized breeds, and the
Small Yorkshires and Suffolks ss small
breeds. As matter Of fact, few Ameri-
cans are engaged In rearing any OF the
small breeds, preferring those producing
animals suitable for slaughter at an
early age, yet capable Of further growth
to any Size wished. Farm and Fireside.