SWINE. 415 



digestive organs, prevent the consumption of the same quan- 

 tity which the larger animal requires; and his accumulating 

 fat, his limited respiration, consequent upon the compression 

 of his lungs, and his indisposition to exercise, all conspire to 

 keep the consumption of food within the smallest possible 

 limit. This result, in tho absence of any experiment, must 

 be conjectural entirely; but we believe that experiments will 

 show that of two thrifty pigs from the same litter, one of which 

 is properly fed to his utmost capacity for 7 months, and (lie 

 other fed with precisely double the quantity of similar food for 

 '21 months, the first will yield men! carcass and of a better 

 and more profitable quality than the latter, which has con- 

 sumed 100 per cent, the most. The food is only one item 

 in this calculation. The oldest requires the most attention, 

 is liable to more accidents and disease, besides the loss of 

 interest. We are necessarily forced to the conclusion, that 

 by far the cheapest mode of wintering pigs is in the pork- 

 barrel. We can readily anticipate one objection to this 

 practice, which is the want of food at this season of the year 

 to fatten them. This can be obviated by reserving enough 

 of the previous year's grain, to keep the animal in a rapidly 

 thriving state till the next crop matures sufficiently to feed. 



In the rich corn regions, on its beginning to ripen, as it 

 does in August, the fields are fenced off into suitable lots, and 

 large herds are successively turned into them, to consume the 

 grain at their leisure. They waste nothing except the stalks, 

 which, in that region of plenty, are not considered of much 

 value, and they are useful as manure for succeeding crops, 

 and whatever grain is left by them, -leaner droves which 

 follow, will readily glean. Peas, early buckwheat, and 

 apples, may be fed on the ground in the same way. But we 

 believe there is an improvement in the character of the 

 grain from a few months' keeping, which is fully equivalent 

 to the interest of the money and cost of storage. If fatten- 

 ed early in the season, they will consume less food to make 

 an equal amount of flesh that in colder weather, they will 

 require less attention, and generally early pork will command 

 the highest price in market. 



It is most economical to provide the swine with a fine 

 clover pasture to run in during the spring and summer, and 

 they ought also to have access to the orchard, to pick up all 

 the unripe and superfluous fruit that falls. They should also 

 have the wash of the house and the dairy, to which add meal, 

 and sour in large tubs or barrels. Not less than one-third, 



