76 AGRICULTURE OF MAINE. 



As a rule the pigs will hover to the sides and they are out of 

 harm's way. Across the back end we put a pole, about eight 

 inches from the floor, which protects them in that direction. We 

 find in this everything that is necessary in a farrowing pen. 

 These pens have no floors but are placed right on the ground. 

 They cost in our section from $1.50 to $2.00. They will not 

 cost as much with you. They are set in open yards, with a little 

 litter scattered in, and the sows will find them at farrowing time. 

 1 never yet have had two sows try to occupy the same pen. 

 Another advantage which these pens have is that, being without 

 floors, the little pigs can walk right out into the open sunlight 

 just as soon as they wish. They do not have to go down a long 

 bridge. I want to get the pigs out on the ground just as soon 

 as I can. I would not take a little pig that had been shut up 

 closely for two or three weeks as a gracious gift. Everything 

 goes nicely with a little pig shut up in a pen for a time, but if 

 he is confined long where he cannot get exercise he will become 

 over fat. The fat will form around the heart and lungs, cramp- 

 ing them, and the first thing we notice the pig has the thumps * 

 he will breathe very short. And it will always be the fattest, 

 nicest pig in the bunch. His hair will stick up, his tail will get 

 dry and drop off, his mouth will get sore, and soon the pig is- 

 dead. Not so with the pig that is allowed exercise. My pigs 

 are allowed out on the ground the very first day they are born, 

 if it is possible. This is why I do not care to have them come 

 before the middle of April. 



QuES. How long will the sows stay in these little houses? 



Ans. Six or eight weeks usually. 



OuES. If there is a severe storm will she take the pigs in? 



Ans. They always go in in a storm. We face the buildings 

 to the south but in a hard storm we turn them a quarter around, 

 away from the storm. The sow will sometimes root holes in 

 the ground but I watch her pretty closely and when she has her 

 hole nicely rooted I move the pen to one side a little and leave 

 her on the level ground. 



The tendency of a good mother is to give more milk than the 

 pigs require for the first few days, as they require but very little 

 when young, and when this is the case if the milk is not drawn 

 from the udder it is bound to get feverish and we have trouble, 

 not only with the mother but with the pigs. So we are very 



