170 AGRICULTURAL ESSAYS. 



extensive scale * But to'the occupants of land, of every descrip- 

 tion, whether they keep but one or more hogs, it is of impor- 

 tance that they should have such as will give the greatest weight 

 from any given quantity of food. It is a very favorable circum- 

 stance in this branch of rural economy, that the long legged, 

 lon^ i.ose.l, and long guant bodied hogs are nearly extinct in 

 every part o'* the country ; and that the grass breed, and a 

 Tp.ixV.ire of r^fc grass bre'ed with the Chinese, generally occu- 

 py '.heir placeg. There are sdme others possessing similar 

 properties, anj known by the names of those persons who have 

 mVconvzed then), into different parts of the country. 



Ti'fey are distL.v-u.ished in their general texture by a'moderate 



.gth in Dropoition to thesi?e of the body; the head and 

 ^ueek plum^' anj full, neck thick and short, quarters full, car- 

 case thick and full, hair fine and thin. These are marks of a 

 good ho^; ^nd the iariner who would improve the breed shouid 

 not rest satisfied, until hy crossing the Guinea breed, the 

 Chinese anj 30iae cth«r of a siriiiiar breed, with our old com- 

 mon breed, they have oiituined hogs of the above description. 



George G. Banet, Esq. when American consul, at Malaga, 

 Spr.in, some years ./r.ce, in a letter addressed to the Albany 

 Coiaity Agricultural Society, advised to introduce from Spain, 

 a breed of hogs, which he observes are seen in droves of hun- 

 dreds all over Spain, and that they subsist in summer on 

 weeds, and with a little corn in autumn, become astonishing- 

 ly fat, and make the most delicious pork in the world. 



To improve our breed of hogs, it has been remarked that 

 'Hhe sow will bring forth a stronger and better litter if she be 

 kept till she is a year old before she goes to the boar, and he 

 Bhoold be kept till that age, before he is put to sows. He 

 should be kept in good condition for the purpose, and as the 

 author of the Complete Grazier observes, should not serve 

 more than ten sows in a year. The sows should also be kept 

 in good condition, but not too fat ; as in that case they will 

 not produce an abundant litter of pigs. To cause them to go 

 to the boar if they miss the right season, give them says he, 

 some prr.^hed outs in their wash, or the small end of a runnet 

 bag. If, however, they are well kept, they will seldom require 

 any stimulus to colition at the proper time. 



Those are reckoned the best breeders that have about ten or 

 twelve paps. They should be kept clean and well littej-ed^ 



* See the cottager's account, Shropshire, England. 



