458 SWINE IN AMERICA 



this is not so convenient as driving through the alley on 

 the inside. 



''There is a four-inch drain tile laid from each pen in 

 the building- to the main lines on either side, which are 

 placed on the outside of the pens, leading to a ravine. 

 The tile opens up through the floor of the pen by means 

 of a perforated iron disk, which is laid in the bell end of 

 a length of sewer pipe. The floor is made to slope toward 

 the drain, so that it can be flushed with water. 



"The second illustration at the beginning of this chap- 

 ter shows the interior section of the house containing the 

 pens. All the gates and partitions of the interior are 

 made of wire netting panels. Wire is considered better 

 for this purpose than lumber for several reasons, as fol- 

 lows : 



"(i) There are no obstructions to light. The rays 

 of light coming through the windows are not prevented 

 from reaching the floor where they are most needed ; 

 they keep the floor or bed in which the pigs sleep dry, 

 warm and disinfected. 



"(2) By this means there is no opportunity for dis- 

 ease germs to lodge in cracks and crevices or to be har- 

 bored in the shadow of solid fences. In case the hog 

 house should ever become infected with disease germs of 

 an}^ kind it can be disinfected much more easily and thor- 

 oughly. 



"(3) AVire partitions allow the hogs always to be 

 within sight of each other and of the attendant. By 

 this means the sows, when they are shut up to farrow, 

 will not become estranged from one another, and will not 

 i)e so likely to fight after returning to a common pasture. 



