580 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



to lit flat on the ground to prevent draught, with the house fitting down 

 and entirely outside of the floor. Use a transom in the south of the 

 house to admit the sunlight. Hogs pay much more for especially good 

 housing than any other farm animal. If the weather is liable to be espe- 

 cially cold and disagreeable at farrowing time the pigs when first farrowed 

 will witlistaud the cold very much better if the sow has been made to 

 exercise and withstand considerable exposure right up to the day of far- 

 rowing. Many recommend violent changes of feed and management at 

 farrowing time. In practice such changes seem to frequently induce in- 

 digestion and to generally derange the health of the animal. Greater suc- 

 cess with the litter seems to attend one's efforts by giving the sow at all 

 times sutticient feed to prevent her suffering from hunger and gi'owing 

 restless. The feed for the sow and litter should never be very cold. If 

 the sow will be content to lie quietly with her litter for the first twelve 

 to twenty-four hours after farrowing, it seems to be the better practice 

 to not disturb her. After farrowing, gradually increase the feed in quan- 

 tity and also make it richer in quality up to about the third week after far- 

 rowing, when the sow should be on full feed. If care has been taken to 

 see that the sow and pigs have taken abundant exercise at this time the 

 sow will be giving a heavy flow of milk and the pigs will be large, growthy 

 fellows ready and anxious to turn the milk to good account. Pigs should 

 be stirred about in their bed when two days old, and be closely observed 

 each day thereafter and be made to take considerable exercise. The bed 

 for the sow and litter must not only be free from draught, but must also 

 be drj' and free from dust. Bright baled wheat straw seems to be espe- 

 cially well adapted for bedding tlie sow and litter. Rye straw seems to 

 cause coughing, and oats straw is not tit for such a purpose. Grass or 

 some succulent feed should be provided for the sow and litter, and the 

 pigs should be allowed a liberal amount of solid food as early as they 

 will partake of it. It seems to be necessary to the health of the pig tEat 

 he be able at an early age to procure solid food in considerable variety. 

 The usual form of creep should be used for the little fellows to make it 

 possible to feed them unmolested by their mother. A separate lot and 

 sleeping house should be set apart for each sow and litter. In cool, damp 

 weather especial care must be exercised to prevent thumps. The prac- 

 ticed eye of the experienced feeder at once sees danger of thumps in the 

 sleek glossy coat of his little beauties. The sure, quick remedy for thumps 

 is exercise, either by brisk driving or by di-opping the affected pig into 

 an empty barrel or Ijox apart from his mother and allowing him to fret 

 and try to get out for an hour or so each time, and two or three times 

 each day, until tlie trouble disappears. If the pig gets stupid and refuses 

 to fret and jump when placed in the empty barrel, lay the barrel down 

 and roll It back and forth with the pig in it for a few times. This will 

 wake him up and cause him to want out. Scouring is usually either due 

 to a damp bed or the condition of the sow's milk. Upon the first appear- 



