100 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



shoulders well developed towards the head, short neck, 

 dished face, short nose, and broad between the eyes. Swine 

 with the head-characteristics we have enumerated are gen- 

 erally easy and quiet feeders, and fatten easily. A large, 

 long head, long nose, indicate a hard, uneasy feeder, requir- 

 ing much food to fatten well. 



Where size is the desired quality, the best breed is pure 

 white Chester, which have, in some instances, exceeded nine 

 hundred pounds; and five hundred to six hundred pounds is 

 quite common. 



In fattening swine the first requisite is a dry, warm place 

 to lie in. Cold, damp pens are a great hinderance, requiring 

 more food and more time. Regularity in feeding is also an 

 important matter, as it prevents them from being restless 

 and noisy. Another point to be observed. is to feed all that 

 will be eaten, and no more. There is more economy in fat- 

 tening early in the season, before the weather is cold. The 

 practice of some, of shutting up hogs on a hard floor, is en- 

 tirely wrong. Give them a place where they can have access 

 to the ground, to root all they wish. When this desire seems 

 too great, feed some charcoal, which will, in a great measure, 

 prevent it. 



In feeding roots, they should always be cooked to be used 

 profitably. Grain should always be ground, if not cooked. 



Your committee would suggest, that, in future, more sys- 

 tem be used in entering swine for exhibition, and examination 

 by committees for premiums and gratuities. Most of the 

 entries this year were not in any particular class ; only the 

 name of contributor, and number of animals, being given. 

 We would suggest that such a list of entries be taken, that 

 the committee may know for what they are entered. 



Geo. p. Chapust, Chairman. 



NANTUCKET. 



[From the Report of the Committee.] 



In this branch of rural economy there has been a decided 

 improvement over the land pike or alligator breed of our 

 childhood days, in favor of the full, plump, round-bodied, 



