INTRODUCTORY. 



443 



COSTS. 



EECEIPTS. 



6921b. of pork, at 6c?. ... 



£ s. d. 

 17 6 



Manurial value at 34s. 



per ton 1 3 



Do. do. at 71s. 112 



Do. do. at 62s. 3 3 



Do. do 2 



dei9 12 8 



Eegarding the fact that two out of the four pigs did not eat 

 the food well, and that when killed one was found to have 

 diseased lungs, we think the results were decidedly successful, 

 and proved that the food used was economical. 



It would be very desirable if the relative values of different 

 kinds of food could be absolutely determined by experiment, 

 both as regards feeding and manuring properties. Such 

 experiments, however, are difficult to carry out, and therefore we 

 must fall back upon comparative price as a test of comparative 

 value. Bearing in mind the conclusions to be drawn from Mr. 

 Lawes's researches, we should endeavour to combine materials 

 that develope flesh, bone, and fat in such proportions as are best 

 suited to the requirements of the animal at different periods of 

 growth. With the pig, as with our other domesticated animals, 

 early maturity and quick returns are desirable. Whilst growing 

 they should also be feeding. There is no necessity to lose the 

 pork flesh, even though we prolong life until full growth, and 

 this may be done without an extravagant outlay in food ; indeed, 

 the best bred pigs of the small or medium sorts cannot be kept 

 thin. In early life our object should be to supply such food as 

 will develope bone and flesh especially, with a proper proportion 

 of heat producing material. We have considerable choice ; 

 thus, bran fine or coarse, beans, peas, or lentils, ground cotton- 

 seed cake, all are materials rich in flesh formers, which may be 

 used in conjunction with barley or palm-nut meal. Our own 

 choice would be good sound bean meal, which we should use in 

 equal quantities with a mixture of barley and palm-nut meal, the 

 quantities depending upon the age of the pig. As the animal 



