Ia'UUikies and IIeplies. 185 



Weaning of Pigs. 



Stellenhosch, CV//>t^.— When sliould sows be weaned of tlieii' 

 litters and why? 



Tlie Principal , Ehenburg School of Agriculture, replies : When 

 breeding on commercial lines it is best to adopt the practice of 

 weaning' your litters at eight weeks of age. By so doing, it will be 

 possible to obtain two litters per year from each sow. This practice 

 will be attended with success only when provision is made for teaching 

 the youngsters to utilize sucli feeds as separated milk and pollard at 

 an early age. (Jrdinarily, sucklings will commence utilizing sucli 

 feed at three to four weeks of age, when a creep should be provided 

 in one corner of the sow's pen. A small shallow trungli should be 

 used to put inside the creep, and a mixture of pollard and separated 

 milk in the proportion of one to four by Meight can be fed at llir 

 beginning. In this way the litter will not prove such a drain on the 

 sow, in consequence of which she will be in fair condition by the time 

 her pigs are weaned at eight weeks of age, and therefore likely to 

 settle again in pig within a couple of weeks of weaning. It is also a 

 good practice to sprinkle a handful of soaked mealies about the pen, 

 so that the youngsters can learn to find their own food, and be able 

 to utilize their ration best when weaned. If, however, one is breeding 

 pure-bred stock, and particularly if primarily for show purposes, 

 better results are obtained by weaning the litter at ten to twelve weeks. 

 According to this system, it is customary to have but three litters 

 in two years. - There is no doubt that the longer the litter is allowed 

 to suckle, the greater is their development and promise for show and 

 other purposes, but it is the more expensive of the two systems. Read 

 " Pigs and Piggeries," Bulletin No. 2, 1919, obtainable from the 

 Editor, Journal of A (jriculfurc. Price -id. 



Worms in Chickens. 



Paarl. — Please let me know a simple and effective remedy for 

 worms in chickens. 



The Principal, Elsenburg School of Agriculture replies : A simple 

 method is to put a few drops of Kerol in the chickens' water from the 

 time the chickens hatch, just sufficient to show the water has been 

 treated. If the worms still show from four weeks upwards, dip all 

 the grain in a 5 per cent, solution of Hycol and dry it out, after which 

 feed. Be careful to keep your chickens on perfectly clean ground. 

 Do not on any account run them where worms have l)een known to 

 infect them. The above remedy has been found to l)e a certain cure 

 if used properly. 



Best Egg-producing Strain of Fowl. 



W orceste r . — What are the best fowls for a farm wheie they run 

 wildy Do you recommend Plymouth Rocks for egg'-production •' 



ihe Principal, Ehenhvrg iSchool of Agriculture, replies : I would 

 not advise you to take Barred Plymouth Rocks for purely egg- 

 ])roductioii. White Leghorn, Black Leghorn, Minorcas, or Anconas 

 are jjuiely egg-producing bieeds. if you want a l)reed for fairly 

 good egg-i>ioduction, und table use also, then take AVhite Pl\iiioutli 

 Bocks, Australian Black Orpington, or Bliod<' Island F{cds, 



