416 AMERICAN AGRICULTURE. 



and perhaps more, of the whole grain fed to swine, is saved 

 by grinding and cooking or souring. Yet care must be 

 observed that the souring be not carried so far as to injure 

 the food by putrefaction. A mixture of meal and water, 

 with the addition of yeast or such remains of a former 

 fermentation, as adhere to the side or bottom of the vessel, 

 and exposure to a temperature between 68 and 77 will 

 produce immediate fermentation. In this process there are 

 live stages. The saccharine, by which the starch and gum 

 are converted into sugar; the vinous, which changes the sugar 

 into alcohol; the mucilaginous, sometimes taking the place 

 of the vinous, and occurs when the sugar solution, or fer- 

 menting principle is weak, producing a slimy, glutinous pro- 

 duct; the acetic, forming vinegar, and the putrefactive, which 

 destroys all the nutritive principles and converts them into a 

 poison. The precise point in fermentation when the food 

 becomes most profitable for feeding, has not yet been satis- 

 factorily determined; but that it should stop short of the 

 putrefactive, and probably the acetic, is certain. 



The roots for fattening animals ought to be washed and 

 steamed or boiled, and when not intended to be fermented, 

 the meal ought always to be scalded with the hot roots. Such 

 a quantity of salt as will not scour, may be added to every 

 preparation for swine. Potatos are the best roots tor swine; 

 then parsneps, orange er red carrots, white or Belgian, sugar 

 beets, mangold wurzel, ruta-bagas, and the white turnips, in 

 the order mentioned. The nutritive properties of turneps 

 are diffused through so large a bulk, that we doubt if they 

 can ever be fed to fattening swine with advantage; and they 

 will barely sustain life when fed to them uncooked. There 

 is a great loss in feeding roots to fattening swine, without 

 cooking. When unprepared grain is fed, it should be on a full 

 stomach, to prevent imperfect mastication, and the consequent 

 loss of food. It is better indeed to have it always before 

 them. The animal machine is an expensive one to keep in 

 motion, and it should be the object of the farmer, to put his 

 food in the most available condition, for its immediate con- 

 version into fat and muscle. Swine ought to be kept per- 

 fectly dry and clean, and provided with a warm shelter, to 

 which they can retire at pleasure. This will greatly hasten 

 the fattening and economize the food. A hog ought to have 

 three apartments, one each for sleeping, eating, and evacua- 

 tions, of which the last ought to occupy the lowest, and the 

 first the highest level, so that nothing shall be drained, and 



