Australia : The Dairy Country. 19 



The pure large Yorkshire is not as economical as the Berkshire if 

 growing pigs for the pork trade, as it takes longer to mature. The 

 sows, however, average about ten to the litter, and some have 

 fifteen or sixteen. Only the fine-haired ones seem to scald, other- 

 wise they stand the sun as well as the Berks. They are good 

 doers under a wide range of conditions, prolific, vigorous, and more 

 likely to do well under the rough circumstances to which they are 

 accustomed on most farms than the more delicate Berkshires. 

 When sold at the same time as other breeds and crosses, they always 

 top the market ; and a half-truck realised over $20.00 per head when 

 sold in Melbourne under six months old. 



So far as Australian experience has gone there is everything 

 to indicate that pig raising, while an extremely profitable occupa- 

 tion, has not yet attained the results which may be expected to 

 follow as more attention is given to the choice of breeds, the selec- 

 tion of the hogs, and fecundity on the part of the sow. These are 

 all matters which from the ordinary farming standpoint have never 

 been gone into thoroughly. That pig raising will pay and does yield 

 handsome returns is admitted, yet when so many avenues of im- 

 provement are open, it cannot be said that the industry is receiving 

 the attention it deserves. Up to the present farmers and dairymen 

 have been chiefly concerned with raising the pigs, disposing of them 

 perhaps at two months, or, as more often is the case, of keeping 

 them on till four months, when they are topped off and sent to 



Dam, Western Australia. 



market to bring what can be realised. Many send away their pigs 

 too fat, and few engaged in the general branches of agriculture 

 really give the animals full attention over the growing period.. 



With the advent of the factories which are springing up in all 

 the States, this condition of things will no doubt give place to 



