86 KEEPING PIGS. [No. 



to be a hog at last ; but, do what you can, it is a 

 dear hog. 



142. The Cottager, then, can hold no competition 

 with the Farmer in the breeding of pigs, to do which, 

 with advantage, there must be milk, and milk, too, 

 that can be advantageously applied to no other use. 

 The cottager's pig must be bought ready weaned to 

 his hand, and, indeed, at four months old, at which 

 age, if he be in good condition, he will eat any-thing 

 that an old hog will eat. He will graze, eat cabbage 

 leaves, and almost the stumps. Swedish turnip tops 

 or roots, and such things, with a little wash, will 

 keep him along in very good growing order. I have 

 now to speak of the time of purchasing, the manner 

 of keeping, of fatting, killing, and curing ; but these 

 I must reserve till my next Number. 



No. VI. 

 KEEPING PIGS (continued.) 



143. As in the case of cows so in that of pigs, 

 much must depend upon the situation of the cottage; 

 because all pigs will graze; and therefore, on the 

 skirts of forests or commons, a couple or three pigs 

 may be kept, if the family be considerable ; and es- 

 pecially if the cottager brew his own beer, which will 

 give him grains to assist the wash. Even in lanes. 

 or on the sides of great roads, a pig will find a good 

 part of his food from May to November ; and if he be 

 yoked, the occupiers of the neighbourhood must be 

 churlish and brutish indeed, if they give the owner 

 any annoyance. 



144. Let me break off here for a moment to point 

 out to my readers the truly excellent conduct of Lord 

 WINCHILSEA and Lord STANHOPE, who, as I read, 

 have taken ijrrat pains to make the labourers on their 

 estates comfortable, by allotting to each a piece of 

 ground sulliciont lor the keeping of a cow. I once, 



