English or foreign breeds, according as the taste or circumstances of the farmer or breeder leads him to prefer large or small animals.
LEICESTERSHIRE.
The old Leicestershire breed was a perfect type of the original hogs of the midland counties; large, ungainly, slab-sided animals, of a light color, and spotted with brown or black. The only good parts about them were their head and ears, which showed greater traces of breeding than any other parts. Mr. Bakewell improved them, and the variety thus obtained was called after him, and was superior in value and beauty to the old stock. Within the last few years various crosses have been tried, and the original breed is now fast losing all its peculiarities and defects.
ESSEX.
The Essex pigs, too, have been indebted for their improvement to crosses with the foreign breeds, and especially the Neapolitan, and with the Berkshire swine. They are mostly black and white, the head and hinder parts being black, and the back and belly white;
LORD WESTERN'S ESSEX BREED.
