The Savannah morning news., 1904-12-26

breeds. To-day the Berkshire is recog-
nized as the peer of any other class of
swine in America, as it is shown in
the extent to which it is bred.
No breed can be a success unless ii
is prepotent in those qualities which
the breeder and feeder demand. Con-
stitutional vigor is the first essential.
because any race will go to ruin with
this quality lacking. The Berkshire
has always possessed much of this vi
tality, as is demonstrated in his long
and successful career as a breed of
pronounced characteristics.
The Berkshire is also an easy feeder,
and produces a pound of meat at a
minimum cost. Both breeder and feed
er desire a rapid and economical flesh
producer. The Berkshire meets this
demand For this reason many feed
ers use pure bred Berkshire sires. The
prepotency of the sire is shown in a
herd of striking uniformity of confor-
nation and quality, such as finds a
ready sale on the market. The pigs
also fatten easily and produce a very
superior class of meat. 1t is for this
reason the Berkshire constitutes such
a large proportion of the pigs which
are seen in the shambles and show
ring. Further than this, where propri-
etors of hotels have farms from which
they supply their tables with produce,
they most frequently raise Berkshire
pigs as a partial source of pork sup
ply. No class of persons recognize
merit in the quality of a food quicker
than the proprietors of high grade ho-
tells. The meat of the Berkshire is
firm, of fine grain, with the fat inter-
laid with the lean, and is of prime
quality. No better ham or bacon goes
into the market than that from a $50
pound Berkshire. Mr.. William Ash
croft, practical English breeder of a
very good type, writing Mr.. James
Long. says: Il have given prece-
dence to quality of flesh, because 1
think that is one of the main features
of the Berkshire breed, and one which
ought never to be lost sight Of
Another feature which has tended to
make the Berkshire popular, is his
tranquil disposition. There is much in
inheritance, and it is probable that the
early Berkshire was much handled by
the breeder and treated in a manner
to promote mild temperament. Were
this not so. the breed would in all
probability never have met with the
wide dissemination it has. A good
feeder must be of agreeable and quiet
temperament. and it is such an animal
that the average pig grower is after
The animal that possesses such a tenn
PCi DColhcs bEluS d SOOu IeeQGf
as a rule, is also a gentle mother. Ner-
vous, irritable sows make unsatisfac-
tory mothers.
Some people desire a SOW to produce
a very large litter of pigs, but this
course is attended with weakened con-
stitution of both parent and progeny
A well matured sow would not suckle
and rear over nine or ten pigs, The
Berkshire is prolific breeder, but not
at the expense of the vitality of mother
or young.
One interesting argument in favor of
a breed is represented in the persist
ency of the following which it may
have among stockmen. The first vol
ume of the Berkshire Herd Book was
published in 1876. In this book may be
found the names of many who are still
breeding Berkshires to-day, some of
whom are most distinguished, men who
have won great honors in the Ameri-
can show ring within the past three
years. Certainly a breed must have
much merit in it to justify man in
persistently breeding it for genera
tions.
No inferior breed has been handled
continuously by any one breeder for a
very extended period of time. Stock
men are too wise for that. Is it not an
evidence of unusual merit that breed
ers should be loyal to the Berkshire
for so many years? Common testi-
mony would seem to Indicate IL So