stood erect. It was also far from being a profitable animal, requiring a very considerable quantity of food, and when fat producing only coarse-grained meat. But since the facility of export has become greater, considerable improvement has been effected by the introduction of Berkshire and Chinese boars and sows, and crossing the old breed pretty extensively with these. Thus the unwieldiness of size and coarseness of bone have been diminished, and greater aptitude for fattening communicated, which latter qualification is invaluable to the poor peasant. There is, however, great room for still further improvement, and we trust that before long some enterprising individuals will devote their energies to the task, and thus become the means of bestowing a great benefit on the peasantry of the "sister isle."
Steam navigation has wonderfully increased the trade in pigs between England and Ireland, for we find that in 1821 only 104,501 of these animals were brought into Liverpool; while in 1837, 595,422 were imported. The cost of conveyance has been so materially decreased by the facility of steamboat and railway conveyance, that this is not at all to be wondered at.
Irish pork or bacon is not so fine-grained or so finely flavored as the English; and although imported in considerable quantities, sells for a much lower price than our own. This has been attributed by some to the pigs being entirely fattened on potatoes, but it is also referable to the innate coarseness of the animals themselves.
Martin says:[1] The improvement in our breeds of domestic swine during the last few years has been very decided. And not only so; the general system of crossing now pursued, tends to the establishment of a uniform race throughout every county, that is, a race presenting the same outstanding characteristics. Changes are rapidly taking place, and the fear is, that the improvements may be carried so far as to result in the formation of a stock of animals smaller in size than comports with utility, and delicate in constitution. We say there is a fear of this: at the same time, we well know that the farmer will not lose sight of his own interests. It cannot be denied that our breeds, for ages occupiers of the land once tenanted by their wild and fierce progenitors, needed great alteration. They were large, coarse, unthrifty animals, with a long broad snout, large flapping ears, low in the shoulders, long in the back, flat-sided, long in the limbs, and large-boned, with a thick hide covered with coarse bristles. Their color was generally white or yellowish, sometimes more or less spotted with black. They were enormous feeders, but slow fatteners, consuming more food than was repaid by their flesh. At the same time, the females were peculiarly fertile, and this is almost the only thing that can be said in their praise.
Such, then, was the old, coarse, uncouth breed, spread, with trifling
