The old Yorkshire breed was one of the very large varieties, and one of
the most unprofitable for a farmer, being greedy feeders, difficult to
fatten, and unsound in constitution. They were of a dirty white or
yellow color, spotted with black, had long legs, flat sides, narrow
backs, weak loins, and large bones. Their hair was short and wirey, and
intermingled with numerous bristles about the head and neck, and their
ears long. When full grown and fat, they seldom weighed more than from
three hundred and fifty to four hundred pounds.
These have been crossed with pigs of the improved Leicester breed; and
where the crossings have been judiciously managed, and not carried too
far, a fine race of deep-sided, short-legged, thin-haired animals has
been obtained, fattening kindly, and rising to a weight of from two
hundred and fifty to four hundred pounds, when killed between one and
two years old; and when kept over two years, reaching even from five
hundred to seven hundred pounds.
They have also been crossed with the Chinese, Neapolitan, and Berkshire
breeds, and hardy, profitable, well-proportioned animals thereby
obtained. The original breed, in its purity, size, and defectiveness, is
now hardly to be met with, having shared the fate of the other large old
breeds, and given place to smaller and more symmetrical animals. The
_Yorkshire white_ is among the large breeds deserving commendation among
us. To the same class belong also the large _Miami white_, and the
_Kenilworth_; each frequently attaining, when dressed, a weight of from
six hundred to eight hundred pounds.