INTRODUCTORY. 439 



because it has only 7|lb. of stomach to 3Jlb. of intestines ; 

 whereas the pig has, for each 1001b. of its live weight, only 1 Jib. 

 stomach to 6*2 of intestines. It is in the stomach that the great 

 work of mastication is really done. The porkers, if pork be our 

 object, should be fit for the butcher at about five months old, 

 when they will average from 701b. to 901b. each. If, on the other 

 hand, we intend to keep our pigs for bacon at a future period, 

 we must adopt an entirely different system. In order to develop 

 frame and muscle, a portion of highly nitrogenous food is 

 desirable ; hence lentils or foreign beans, according to price, may 

 be bought ; these may be supplied in small quantities, and eked 

 out by garden stuff, wash, &c. Stores must have exercise, and 

 not be too delicately reared ; indeed, the spring litters will have a 

 run of a month to six weeks in the stubbles, where they should 

 grow considerably and prepare for feeding ; during this time, 

 whilst out on stubbles, water must be supplied at least once a 

 day, otherwise they will not thrive. 



It becomes a highly interesting and important question to 

 determine at what period pigs pay best — whether if sold as 

 stores when weaned, at which age they will, if the sow has 

 been well cared for, bring on an average about 11. each ; or as 

 porkers, when from four and a half to five months old ; or as 

 bacon pigs, and if so, how long the stores should be kept — in 

 other words, to what weight should they be fed ? Now, in 

 endeavouring to solve these knotty questions, we must not leave 

 out the utility of the pig as a manure maker, nor must we 

 forget that its greatest value in this sense will probably be 

 at an advanced age. As we have stated at the commence- 

 ment of these articles, the only experiments that have been 

 systematically made are those by Sir J. Lawes, and later — by 

 Mr. C. G. Eoberts. 



We propose further on to enter at some length into the facts 

 which were elucidated, and to shortly describe the different 

 kinds of food available for pig feeding. It will probably be 

 found most profitable when we keep pigs principally as a source 

 of manure to produce both porkers and bacon pigs, taking care 

 that the former are fit for the market between November and 

 April, after which periods the demand is limited ; whereas bacon 

 pigs can be sold perhaps better in summer than winter. The 



