430 THE PIGS OF GREAT BRITAIN. 



animals ; but when properly managed pigs are a source of con- 

 siderable profit to the farmer. However economical and careful 

 his management, there must be on a farm waste materials — for 

 example, the bad potatoes, the material taken from the root 

 crops when the latter are prepared for cattle, the refuse com, to 

 say nothing of the portion of grain unavoidably left in the 

 straw, all of which will be utilised by store pigs. Again, the 

 manure from the pig is valuable in proportion to the food he is 

 consuming; but store pigs are mechanically good manure makers 

 — constantly routing about in the yard in search of food, they 

 cause the materials to be properly mixed up, and do a great 

 amount of good. They are omniverous, so that nothing comes 

 amiss ; and, though the fatting pig requires rich food, stores 

 and breeding animals can be kept in a thriving state at little 

 expense. We have seen sows in summer time in good condition 

 with nothing but mangolds and water. 



In these days of improved harvest machinery there is com- 

 paratively but little corn left in the field ; what there is, is better 

 utilised by the pig than in any other way. The whole strength 

 of the farm, with the exception of the advanced feeding stock, 

 should be turned out, previously well rung if young seeds form 

 a part of their range ; and, under charge of a lad, they will 

 soon clear the ground, care being taken to provide water at least 

 once a day, for dry corn is thirsty work. It was formerly the 

 practice to a larger extent than now to purchase stores for this 

 purpose, selling them again when the work was done. During 

 the winter store pigs utilise the waste materials from the house, 

 clear up the leavings from the cattle troughs, and act, as we have 

 before stated, as the scavengers of a farm. Inasmuch as they 

 cannot exercise such important functions without being a good 

 deal exposed to the weather, we must be careful that, in 

 cultivating the feeding and early maturing properties of the 

 pig, we do not sacrifice hair and constitution. 



This is not the place to discuss the merits of the different 

 breeds which find favour in their own locality. Of late years the 

 public have shown increasing partiality for animals of medium 

 size, which, whilst possessing much of the feeding properties of 

 the Chinese, are yet of sufficient growth to yield good flitches of 

 bacon. The Berkshire and middle-bred white variety are pro- 



