. Types and breeds of farm animals . Livestock. THE BERKSHIRE 473 The characteristics of the old type of Berkshire, after the addi- tion of foreign blood, were greatly improved. About 1830 they were classed as large, and, Youatt says, were sandy or whitish brown, spotted regularly with dark brown or black. The body was free of bristles and was covered with long, thin, and some- what curly hair. The ears were erect and fringed with long hair, the head and snout were short, the body thick and com- pact, the legs short, the skin thin, the flesh of good flavor, and the bacon superior. At this time
. Types and breeds of farm animals . Livestock. THE BERKSHIRE 473 The characteristics of the old type of Berkshire, after the addi- tion of foreign blood, were greatly improved. About 1830 they were classed as large, and, Youatt says, were sandy or whitish brown, spotted regularly with dark brown or black. The body was free of bristles and was covered with long, thin, and some- what curly hair. The ears were erect and fringed with long hair, the head and snout were short, the body thick and com- pact, the legs short, the skin thin, the flesh of good flavor, and the bacon superior. At this time the breed was regarded as one of the best in England, due to early maturity, easy fatten- ing, small bone, hardiness, and the prolificacy of the Fig. 221. Masterpiece 77000, second-prize Berkshire boar at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition, 1904. Sold by A. J. Lovejoy & Son, Roscoe, IlHnois, for ^2500 to W. S. Corsa of Illinois. One of the most famous sires of to-day. Photograph from Professor William Dietrich, Illinois University According to various early authorities there must have been con- siderable variation in color, size, and type of the early Berkshire. Prominent improvers of the early Berkshire were Richard Astley of Oldstonehall, who is credited by Professor Low as being the great improver of the breed, and Lord Barrington, who died in 1829. Sidney, who was a leading pig authority, in 1860 wrote that Lord Barrington did a great deal toward improv- ing the Berkshire breed, the improved stock of that time nearly all tracing back to his herd. The methods of these two breeders do not seem to have been made public, and little is known of. Please note that these images are extracted from scanned page images that may have been digitally enhanced for readability - coloration and appearance of these illustrations may not perfectly resemble the original Plumb, Charles S. (Charles Sumner), 1860-1939. Boston ; New York : Ginn
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