White Pigs.

Southland Times, Issue 8088, 17 August 1885, Page 3

White Pigs.

Notwithstanding the superiority of some of the back breeds of p'gs, and in spite of the feet that tbe colour, unlike beauty, if not even 'skin deep/ the blackest pigs dressing quite as white as the whitest, there is. in this country, in the Northern States at least, a prejudice against black pigs. In the Southern Btates, in localities where the pigs run at large, . and the Paint-root grows, it ia black pigs or none at all. w hite pigs, if they feed upon paint- root (LacJinathtt tinetoria), become completely blind, and their | hoofs drop off, while the black pigs enn eat the plant without a^pareut : injury. Th : s singu'ar fact accounts for the prevaleuce of black pigs in many Southern., localities There are localities in England in which there is a prejudice against white animals, and others in which only blacks pigs are tolerated. While in the Western States the prejudice against swine that are black, in whole or in part, is rapidly disappearing, it ' remains quite strong in many of the older 3utes, where those who keep but few 6Wtne or raise the ' family pig,' almost invariably prefer white animals. Notwithstanding that the black pigs present some of the most striking illustrations of skilful breeding, and are the perfection of form, and of swinisi beauty, people are predjndiced against them by early associations, Their first knowledge of pigs was gained from white ones, and in their minds, white i» the proper co'oar for pigs, The number of so-called breeds of white pigs known in England, was at one time very large ; a slight variation, s >eh as we may expect in a strain, was given a distinctive local name, and callnd a breed. English breeders tonk a long step in simplifying pig nomenclature when they grouped pigs by their colours and sizes, and gave us large and small black breeds, and la>-ge and small breeds of white pigs. In 1852, a well kaown Entilioh breeder exhibited at one of the important fair?, several pigs <>f extraordinary merit, but too laae to be judged among the small white bre d, and not large enough for tbe Large Whites. The animals were so remarkably flue that they could not be disqualified The judges met the difficulty by making a third class, callins it the Middle White breed. Since then, wbile only the large and small black bree Is have been admitted, the white pigs have three breeds, the Large, Middle, aid Small White. The white breeds have descended mainly from tbe old Yorkshire br«ed, one of the largest pigs ever kaown, ar.d or c of the coarsest and worst. Its legs were extremely long, with weak loins, and it was very long from head to tail; the colour was chit fly white, and its abundant, rather bristly hair, long and curly. The animal yielded a coara*, flabby flesh, of poor quality. Tbe improvement of this breed commc-nced early in tbe present century, and resulted in producing the leading white breads of the present day. In the course of years, several nominal while breeds have been merged into this, and are now no longer known. The first step ia the improvement of the old Yorkshires, was to introduce a cross of the white Leicester?, This breed was nearly related, and equally large, but bad a smaller head, erect ears, was lighter boned, and had finer hair Shan the other, and is now rarely met with, Among other large breeds known in certain districts of England, were the Lancashire, Cheshire, Lincolnshire, Westmoreland, Cumberland and Norfolk, nea'ly all of which have been absorbed into the improved Yorkshire, or Large White. The Lancashire is said to have been the nearest to Ihe old Yorkshire in type, and equally large. The Lincolnshire was of enormous size, with large bone and coarse flesh. It was very hairy, had a long snoufc and huge, flapping earn, and noted for its hardiness, and for being very prolific. Dhe Westmoreland pig was notably ugly, with huge legs, bony flunks, and took on flesh slowly. It Was by various crosses tbat the pig was obtained which in now no longer called improved Yorkshire, but L^rge White, by tbe breeders of Kngland. It is now the most popular breed in England. This breed has been bred to some extant in this eoantry, and its popularity is increasing, It is also esteemed in Prance aud Germany. Individual animals ha c attained to an enor. mous s ; ze. A boar has bet?n exhibited iv England tbat weighed one thousand two hundred and thirty-two pound*, and a dozen sows were shown together, having an average weight of one thousand one hundred and twenty pounds. A pig at seven months has dressed two hnndied and fifty -five pounds, and one at twelve months, at four hundred and eighty-nine pounds The Small White breed, or small York* shim, was derived from the old Yorkshire in a similar manner to the Largje Whi'e breed —by various crossing/*, especially with the Cntnberlnnd, h°nce it is sometimes called the Yo»k-Oumherland breed. The breed has a short bead, with short, erect ears ; its chest is deep, its back broad, and it has short legs with floe bone. The animal is ready to fatten at any oize f ani may be converted into roasters, small pork, or small bacon. It is noted for tbe small proportion of bone to the quantity of IL&h, and its flesh is of the finest quality. The ordinary weight is from two hundred and eighty to three hundred and forty pounds, and has been known to reach five hundred and twenty pounds. The Middle White breed, the introduction of which has alrealy bean mentioned, is intermediate in all respects between the L*rge and Bmall White breeds, and unites the good qualities of the two. It was produced by a cross between tbe large nnd small whites, with a dash of Cumberland blood. The Middle White* are about the same «cc as the Berkshire, and not so heavily bone-, The short, broad face, with a slightly dished snout, are much admired by breeders. The skin of the animal is marked by a few blue spots, but the hair upon them is white. The Middle Whites have been tested to extent in this country, and are highly esteemed, especially as family pigs. They are special favourites with the pork packers, who claim that animals of this breed yield larger proportionate net weights than any others grown for their use. Tbe flesh is of the finest quality, and evenly spread over tbe whole frame. Those who object to black pigs should be able to find an animal suited to their purposes in one ofjhese three white breeds.