PIGS. 53 



of sulphur in his breakfast. Such is the whole secret 

 of the management of his porcine highness in the 

 only sphere where he becomes at once a pet and 

 profitable. The above I have had at the lips of an 

 experienced old lady who once brought up a pig for 

 me taken at random from the litter, every one of 

 which it soon outstripped in size and quality, 

 although they were well fed in the rough, taking 

 ultimately a prize at the local show. 



Ten shillings on an average each pigling costs her, 

 two to three months old. She further supplied me 

 with the triumphant statement that of two she has 

 brought up, both bought at the above-mentioned 

 price at the above-mentioned age, in twelve months 

 one sold for 3£. 10s., and the other was killed and 

 cut up eighteen score. She keeps her pet for a year, 

 as has been stated, and then occupies some six 

 weeks in putting on the finishing touch of plump- 

 ness, using for that purpose on the average five 

 bushels of barley-meal. He is then killed, weighing 

 upon an average from fourteen to sixteen score. 



Store pigs will do well on swede turnips and a 

 handful of meal, beans, peas — stewed or ground. 

 Buttermilk and bran, if attainable in any quantity, 

 is princely food. Where thrashing is done with the 

 flail in winter for the cattle to have fresh picking, 

 the porkers will do well rooting in the chaff and 

 refuse thrown out by the barn-door, with a mangold 

 bulb or two to qualify and moisten it. I should 

 remark here that it was determined, long years ago, 

 that pigs fatten faster on white peas (not grey, they 

 too much resemble the bean) than upon beans : that 



