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THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



THE MANAGEMENT OF SWINE. 



FRAMLINGHAM FARMERS' CLUB. 



The fame of Mr. Stearu's pig3 is the chief honour of the 

 pleasant little village of Brandeston ; and in undertaking to 

 read a paper before the members of the Framlingham Farmers' 

 Club ou the management of swine, he determined to perforoi his 

 task thorotighly, and so surrounded himself with the pigs on 

 which his reputation rests. It must not be supposed that Mr. 

 Steam's pigs came led by a string tied to the leg, or covered 

 over with a net in a dealer's cart. These pigs would scorn such 

 treatment. A short time before the hour for the discusaiou 

 there was a great commotion in the town. A procession of 

 cars tastefully trimmed with flags, evergreens, and flowers 

 passed through, the horses mounted by postillions in scarlet 

 jackets aad blue caps with s'-arlet tassels. The procession was 

 received with cheers and much popular ovation. The occu- 

 pants of these triumphant carriages were Mr. Steam's pig?, 

 come to take their part in the discussion at the Farmers' Club. 

 This was held in the Corn Exchange, at the Crown Hotel; 

 John Peirson, Esq., in the chair. There were nearly a hun- 

 dred members of the Club and their friends present, many of 

 whom came from a considerable distance. Among the latter 

 was Mr. Sexton, of Cockfield Hall, Essex, Mr. Steam's rival 

 at the last agricultural show. 



The Chairman, in opening the subject of the meeting, 

 said the object of this club had always been the advancement 

 and diffusion of agricultural knowledge ; and as their good 

 friend Mr. Steam had more than once shown pigs equal to any 

 in England, the members of this club hai invited him to 

 come aud tell them the peculiar kind of breed he recommended, 

 in which he had been so successful, aud the mode of breeding 

 them, that they might profit by his superior knowledge on 

 the subject. Mr. Steam, without a txiinute's hesitation, said 

 that anything he could do to add to the usefulness of this 

 club, which had been in existence 2.2 years, would give him 

 the greatest pleasure. He was much pleased to see so large 

 an attendance. Mr. Steam would introduce the subject aud 

 allow them to discuss it afterwards. They might not all 

 agree with Mr. Steam, but they had all one object, which was 

 to make pigs profitab'.e. They were all aware that bretding 

 was an important point, but feeding also had an important 

 bearing. He had yet to learn the problem of making pigs, 

 or any other cattle, fat without putting the hand in the 

 pocket ; he was informed the pigs at Brandeston cost nothing 

 for feeding, owing to the excellent management of Mr. Steam. 

 (Cheers and laughter.) 



Mr. Stearn : I am called upon this evening to bring for- 

 ward as a subject the management of swine. I suppose it 

 includes breeding, rearing, and feeding. I will try to make a 

 few remarks which perhaps will be a benefit to some of my 

 neighbours. Now, in bringing this subject forward, I wish it 

 to be understood that I have no secret, but shall be most 

 happy to answer any question put to me to the best of my 

 judgment. This class of the domesticated animals of this 

 country is fast becoming one of the most important to the 

 community. The inhabitants of Great Britsin and Ireland 

 are great consumers of meat, and more particularly the flesh 

 of the pig, in all its varied forms of conversion into meat. The 

 consumption of port, fresh or salted ; of bacon, dried or smoked ; 

 of hams, &c., is immensely great, and renders the progressive 



improvement in the breeding and general management of tke 

 pig of great importance to the public ; and in my opinion the 

 keeping of swine is fast becoming something more than a mere 

 means of disposing of the refuse of the farm, which would 

 otherwise be wasted. I find this class of animal begins to be 

 acknowledged amongst large breeders and graziers, instead of 

 being thought beneath their notice ; still, I am often surprised 

 to see what a disgraceful lot of pigs are kept by many farmers, 

 such as I am positive, if kept to any great extent, will ruin 

 any man, for they eat an enormous quantity of food, but will 

 neither grow nor fatten upon it. Our friend Mr. Bond stated 

 at the last meeting our population had doubled in the last fifty 

 years, and that we want to find out some means of producing 

 more meat at the least possible cost to supply it with. Now. 

 I am convinced that in swine alone, if the farmers would pay 

 proper attention to the breeding, rearing, and feeding, there 

 can be double the meat raised at little more than the present 

 cost. I have had experience iu management of pigs a good 

 many years, as many in this room are aware. I exhibited a 

 sow and pigs at the Framhngham show as long back as 1847, 

 and gained the prize ; they were then considered superior to 

 anything that had been seen in this neighbourhood, and many 

 said I should never produce another lot so good. But as Mr. 

 Bond says, " we keep progressing," for at the Framlingham 

 show last year I exceeded the former very much in weight at 

 the same age. The same remark was then made again, hut 

 the two lots I showed at Birmingham and Smithfleld were 

 heavier still at the age ; and now I suppose I may make up 

 my mind I have got to my furthest in that poiut, as I have 

 raised between fourteen and fifteen stone, fourteen pounds to 

 the stone, at the age of between five and six months, dead 

 weight ; and between eight and nine stone, fourteen pounds 

 to the stone, live weight, at between twelve and thirteen weeks 

 old ; and I think I have now in the breeding of that animal 

 arrived as nearly at perfection aa I could reasonably hope. 

 But it is difficult to know where to stop, for even improvement 

 has a limit, aud crossing when carried beyond a certain point 

 will generally end in deterioration. I think, however, to cross 

 occasionally as far distant as possible is beneficial. There is 

 no doubt that we derive our many varieties of the pig from the 

 wild animal of the forest. The wild hog has been found every- 

 where, or nearly so, throughout the world. The contrast be- 

 tween the coarse denizen of the forest and the many sleek and 

 beautiful specimens of our improved breeds is very manifest, 

 and affords another proof of what may be achieved by the skill 

 and care of the breeder. To give an extended outline or de- 

 scription of the original species, or of the various breeds aud 

 inuumerable crosses and varieties of pigs, would occupy too 

 much time, therefore I shall just describe our own Suffolk pig. 

 In pursuing the subject further, I shall endeavour to show the 

 great importance it is to the community at large, that the stock 

 of pigs should be duly kept up, and every encouragement and 

 inducement held out to breeders and feeders for that purpose. 

 It is certain that 'none of our domesticated animals will afford 

 such a large amount of food for human sustenance as the pig, 

 in proportion to the readiness and expense with which it ia 

 raised, and the time necessary for raising it. According to 

 all accounts the numbers now reared are exceedingly great. 



