INTRODUCTORY. 437 



mixture. If all goes well, by the third day the young pigs will be 

 well on their legs, and the sow capable of eating the ordinary food, 

 which must be plentiful and nutritious. On dairy farms where 

 pig-breeding can be carried on with more profit than elsewhere, 

 there is either skim milk or whey, both of which are excellent 

 media for the more solid foods. Of these we believe, from a 

 lengthened experience, that barley, and palm-nut meal, with 

 pollard, form both a cheap and sustaining diet. The sow should 

 have exercise once a day if weather permits. Every sow should 

 have twelve teats. It occasionally happens that there is some 

 trouble with these vessels ; they are liable to inflammation from 

 cold, in which case they should be carefully fomented, and well 

 softened with lard, or, what is better, goose grease. As the 

 family grow their wants increase, and the sow will require more 

 food. The dust of good linseed cake boiled into a gelatinous 

 condition is said to be a valuable addition to the food we have 

 named, but, not having used it, we cannot speak from experience. 

 The wash from the house, with all refuse vegetables, can be 

 made use of. At three weeks old the little pigs begin to eat, and 

 it is desirable that the family be removed into a larger com- 

 partment, still covered over and well sheltered. A partition at 

 one end separates sufficient space for the youngsters to assemble 

 round a trough suited to their capacities, or the latter may be 

 long-shaped and placed against the wall, with divisions by means 

 of iron rods, so that each pig may find a separate supply. Access 

 to this through the partition may be obtained by a slide door 

 sufficiently large to admit the pigs one at a time, and thus they 

 are suppKed gradually with food, and can be shut away for a 

 time from the sow if desirable. As the offspring fend (to use a 

 Torkshireism) more and more for themselves, the food of the 

 sow may be diminished, so that the weaning process, which is 

 finally accomplished from eight to ten weeks after birth, may be 

 gradual. After the first three or four weeks, on fine days the 

 family should be turned out into a sheltered yard, so as to 

 accustom the youngsters to exposure, which is the more necessary 

 if we intend them for bacon purposes, for there is no doubt the 

 combination of aptitude to feed with hardy character is most 

 desirable. 



After weaning, the young sow must be kept moderately well. 



