LANCASHIRE SWINE. This is an English breed and it is divided into three sub-families. The Short-faced Lancashire, the Middle Breed Lancashire, and the Large Lancashire. They are all pure white, and their characteristics, were described as follows, at a convention of Swine breeders in the West: Until the fall of 1870 but little was known concerning this breed of hogs in the United States, but in England they have been known for over one hundred years. In 1767, at the First Manchester Agri cultural Show, Manchester being in Lancashire, a hog of this breed was shown, taking the first prize in the class of White Swine. It is the representation of a hog of immense size, with tremendous limbs, very coarse, and by no means an animal that would be approved of by the judges of the present day. Short-Faced Lancashire White Breed.—This breed of swine may be known by the following characteristics: The shortness of the face from the eyes to the end of the snout; prick ears; small bones; a good coat of white hair; cubic in form, with broad back and broad hams, well let down. The skin, as well as the hair, is white, although an occasional one may be found having a few dark-blue spots on the skin, but never dark or black hairs. Large Lancashire White Breed Swine.—This variety of swine have large bones, are of great height and length, and are the largest breed of swine known. They are a true breed, which is proved by the greatest winners and most famous hogs being got by those who have won most prizes. Thus, Samson, Ranger, Victor, Great Western, Great Eastern, etc., etc., hogs that won the First Royal All England Prizes, are the sires and dams of the present winners, and the size and quality descend from generation to generation— the quality being improved by judicious selection. Lancashire Middle Breed White Swine.—This breed is one, which partakes of the quality of the small breed and the size of the large breed. Middle bred
hogs are get by crossing large bred sows with small bred boars, but a11 attempts to attain the same results by reversing this operation, and putting large bred boars to small bred sows have proved failures. The largest of the middle bred sows are used to improve the large breed. Their characteristics are as follows: The small bred hog must have small bones; a short face; silky hair; fine, small, upright ears; a comparatively square form; must have good square hams, the most valuable part of the hog; must carry the meat near the ground; flat on the back; straight and cubic in form. Large Breeds.—Must be of large size; great length; flat back, with large square hams when fattened; must carry their width of back along over the hams; must have deep and tolerably straight sides, large feet and leg bones; hair short; may have a long face, but it had better be short, as they fatten better; may have a large, drooping ear, but, other qualities and size being equal, an upright, smaller ear preferred. They usually have a long, thick, strong tail; must be of great weight when fat tened, and above all must be descended from a hog having the foregoing qualities, and, if a breeder, must produce them. They are short of hair, but still are hearty. A middle bred hog must have a short face, and all other good qualities of the small breed, except that they may be longer in proportion to their width; must have thicker legs and longer bones to carry the greater size; should be well haired, fattening to full form often causes the hair to temporarily fall off, which must be allowed for. As good a short rule as can be adopted to judge them by is as. follows: The best middle bred hog should have the most possible of all the qualities of the small breed, with the length, and, in a measure, the larger bones of the large breed.