FARMER'S ASSISTANT. 369 



They should be kept clean, and well littered, and should 

 have plenty of food, which may be boiled potatoes, or car- 

 rots, tor a fortnight; when raw ones will prove good food. 

 They should also be baited every day for a month with oats f 

 and after this may have a thin drink of pea or buckwheat 

 meal (Indian meal will no doubt answer as well) boiled in 

 water, unless there be a dairy; in which case, a mess of 

 milk or whey may be substituted. Too much should not, 

 however, be given them at once, as Mr. Deane says it is 

 known sometimes so to inflate them with wind as to kill 

 them. Mr. Young' says, their being kept very clea ly, so 

 as to have fine clean coats, is as essential to their growth as 

 good feeding, until they are turned out with the larger 

 Hogs into the clover-field, which, after the age of three 

 months, will keep them very well during the rest of the 

 growing season. 



It has been uniformly remarked, that though these ani- 

 mals are naturally filthy, if left to themselves; yet, the 

 cleaner they are kept* the better they will grow and faten. 



Boiled or steamed clover- hay will serve to keep Hogs 

 during Winter; but, perhaps, the addition of some potatoes 

 or carrots, boiled with the hay, would be very proper. The 

 clover should be cut a little sooner than usual, and should 

 be well cured, and have about a peck of salt to each ton, 

 when laid down in the mow. 



For boiling, in this case, as well as for boiling roots, and 

 for other purposes, see STEAMBOILER. 



The Sows may be allowed to breed till they are six years 

 old, and the Boar until he is five. After this, the former is 

 to be spayed and put up to faten, and the latter is to be 

 castrated, as being no longer fit for use. His flush will 

 make good bacon, when fated. 



In preference to feeding Swine on clover in the field, 

 during Summer, Mr, Young directs soiling them in a yard 

 for the purpose ; and in this case he makes use of lucerne, 

 cichory, clover, tares, and other green food, cut and carried 

 in for feeding them. The water-crowfoot (rununculus 

 aquatilis) is also highly recommended for this purpose. 

 This method, however, though it may save some ground in 

 pasture, and may afford the means of making considerable 

 manure, does not seem so apparently beneficial, as the 

 practice of soiling some other cattle, Mention is made, by 

 Mr Young) of his having fed sixty four Hogs, great and 

 small, on two acres of clover alone, during one season, and 

 that they all grew very well. The pasture in which they 

 are kept should have a supply of water. Before they are 

 turned into the pasture, and while they are young, It the 

 top of the gristle of the nose be pared off wuh a sharp 



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