modehn farrier. 473 



the purpose of fattening, are apt to heat them too 

 much, and produce a difficulty of breathing ; but for 

 the large or full grown hogs, pea-meal, or peas un- 

 ground, are probably the best material that can be 

 made use of. A portion of bean-meal, or whole 

 beans, may likewise be given occasionally, with ad- 

 vantage, as both these articles contain a much larger 

 proportion of nutritious matter in the same bulk, 

 according to Darwin, than any other sort of grain, 

 and are more lasting in their effects on the system, 

 from their undergoing the process of digestion more 

 slowly, perhaps on account of their containing a 

 larger proportion of oil in their composition. Malt- 

 ed barley given whole has likewise been found 

 highly beneficial in the fattening of hogs, tlie quan- 

 tity of sweet nutritious matter being thus greatly 

 augmented, according to Mr. Bannister. Acorns in 

 the same state have likewise been foimd to fatten 

 hogs, but they cannot be depended on as a food for 

 this use. Potatoes and carrots have also been occa- 

 sionally tried in the same application ; but as they 

 never answer well without beino; boiled and com- 

 bined with the meal of some sort of grain, it is a 

 much better and more economical practice to con- 

 vert them to the purpose of store-feeding, and de- 

 pend upon farinaceous substances for fattening the 

 animals. 



The dairies, according to the author of JModern 

 Agriculture, in Hampshire, Gloucestershire, &c. are 

 the great sources whence the butchers draw their 

 supplies of hogs, as well as porkers. Just, says he, 

 as the dairies are employed, either in the making of 

 butter, or of cheese, so whey mixed with barley- 

 meal, or skimmed and butter milk, are the chief 

 sorts of food on which the hogs on a dairy-farm are 

 fattened. Many are the incidental additions daily 

 made to the stock pf provisions set apart for the fat- 

 tening of hogs ; in short, every sort of ofFal from the 

 dairy, the kitchen, he. is thrown into the trough ; 



3 o 



