CHESTER WHITE SWINE. The Chester County, or Chester White hogs, originated in Chester county, Penn., sometime in 1818, through the introduction of a pair of pigs said to have. been brought there, from Bedfordshire, England, by a sea captain, James Jeffries. These Were bred, and crossed upon the best white hogs of the country about, and by selection and care through raany years, the strain eventuated in a race whose characteristics became constant, forming large, quiet, good feeding, and easily fattened hogs, considered excellent lard and bacon hogs. Upon the introduction of Berkshire and also Suffolk, these breeds were.intercrossed with the Chesters, but not satisfactorily. At one time they stood at the head of the large white breeds of the United States, East and West. They are exceedingly hardy in constitution, and will, North, stillhave many admirers among breeders of large hogs. The principal objection to them being that they -are rather coarse, from the stand point of fan ciers of fine boned hogs, and they lack early ma turity. They are, however, gradually giving way,
iu the corn-zone of the West, to other breeds, no tably the Poland-China and Berkshires, but further North they are still extensively bred. The illustra tions we give, of a boar and sow in breeding condi tion, will give a good idea of the breed. The Chester swine should have length and depth of -carcass, a broad, even, straight back, large hams, _and the shoulder carrying meat well formed, rather small bone, small head, with heavy jowl, face rattier dished, and straight hair, and short ueck. It is, however, undeniably- true that this breed varies much, probably from the fact of the many crosses taken, and the infusion of native blood in an early day. Hence the reason why of late y-ears they have not held their own, except in the case of particular breeders who have kept their strains comparatively even in form and quality.