SWINE. 395 



clean pen, allowing them a fair trial, and they will prove to you the correctness of the 

 above statement. 



Bath for Hogs. Pigs like a place to cool themselves in hot weather, and if they can 

 find no better place, they will wallow in the mire for this purpose, but if given access to clean 

 water, in which they can lie, they will readily avail themselves of the opportunity, and keep 

 clean. The fat pig, like the fat man, is necessarily a sufferer from the hot weather of sum 

 mer, and when provided with a suitable bath in which to cool himself and cleanse his skin, 

 will be greatly benefited by it. f 



A &quot;Western breeder gives his experience in preparing a bath for swine, thus: &quot; Some 

 years ago we tried an experiment, by making a shallow bath, 4 feet wide, and 10 feet 

 long, of plank, with sides 8 inches high. This, being bedded in puddled clay, was easily 

 made water-tight. The whole thing did not cost more than three hours labor. Water was 

 pumped from a stock-well near by, and run into this bath by a spout. Gravel was placed 

 some inches deep around the bath to prevent mud. The water could be drawn off through 

 a small box-d rain under it. This was drawn off and filled every second day. The pigs did not 

 require any teaching to avail themselves of this aristocratic bath. We have seen seven pigs 

 enjoying this bath at once, while others outside, envious of their enjoyment, were attempting 

 to root them out that they might take possession. 



The effect of this bath appeared in every way most salutary, and not a pig in the lot 

 (some 20) but availed himself of it. They kept their skins clean, and the remark was often 

 made, that this lot of pigs belonged to a higher class than the mud-wallowers. We found 

 this plan of summer bath so simple and so cheap that it might be adopted for a large lot of 

 pigs at small expense and labor. Many farmers have water that they can easily conduct 

 into such a bath, and have it full most of the time with little or no expense except the con 

 struction of the bath. Our bath was 8 inches deep, but we only let in 4 inches of water, as 

 the pigs would fill the other half of the space with their bodies, and this would fill the vat 

 with water. 



During the warmest weather, charcoal, mixed with a small proportion of sulphur, should 

 be kept in a trough, where they can eat it when they choose. We have been in the habit of 

 putting a small amount of sulphate of iron (copperas), in the bath water. It is an excellent 

 deodorizer and purifier. If they drink the water it will not hurt them.&quot; 



Another writer says, in one of our leading journals: &quot; Some years ago we tested the pig s 

 . disposition to keep clean where the opportunity was given, by placing in his pasture a shallow 

 bath of clean water. This privilege was eagerly used, in preference to wallowing in a mud 

 hole a few rods off. This shallow bath was filled with fresh water three times per week, and 

 it was noticed that the pigs seemed always to enjoy the renewal of the water. This certainly 

 indicated a nice discrimination in cleanly habits.&quot; 



Convenient Piggeries. iThis subject will be found treated under the heading of 

 HOG HOUSE, in the department of FARM BUILDINGS (VOL. I, page 463). 



Kind Treatment of PigS. The pig is generally regarded as an obstinate animal, 

 and is commonly treated accordingly. Even on farms where other domestic animals are 

 cared for with the utmost kindness and consideration, pigs are generally the exceptions to 

 the general rule in this respect. We believe that all domestic animals are much more 

 valuable, and the labor of caring for them greatly lessened when kindly treated, since they 

 thus not only thrive better, but are much more easily controlled. All animals on the farm 

 should be managed with firmness, yet gentleness, and by the treatment they receive, should 

 be led to regard the one having charge of them as their protector and friend, rather than an 

 enemy from which to expect blows and harsh tones. 



We fully agree with Harris on this point, who says: &quot; If well-bred and properly treated, 

 the pigs will go to their own pens as readily as cows or horses will go to their own stalls. 



