THE EMIGRANT'S HAND-BOOK. 221 



breed to which it belongs. Above all, it is essential that 

 it be of a kindly disposition to fatten early." 



The sow should be selected with great care, broad and 

 straight- backed ; wide hips ; a great many teats ; short 

 legs, and fine bone. It is said that the sow will produce 

 the stronger and better litter if not allowed to breed till a 

 year old, and the boar should not be younger than that 

 age when put to sows. Sows may be allowed to breed 

 till they are six years old, and boars till five ; and both 

 be made good pork after this period, by methods which do 

 not require description. One male, according to " The 

 Complete Grazier," should not be permitted to have ac- 

 cess to more than ten females in a year. Sows will 

 usually have pigs twice a year, and should be put to the 

 males at such times as will bring one litter in April and 

 another early in September. 



" Those sows are accounted the best breeders," says 

 " The Farmer's Assistant," " which have about ten or 

 twelve paps. They should be kept clean and well littered ; 

 but should not have too much litter at the time of pigging, 

 lest they overlay their pigs in it. At the end of a week 

 or ten days, they should be let out of their styes into the 

 yard for three or four hours each day. Where several 

 sows are farrowing about the same time, they must be 

 kept in separate apartments in the sty, lest they devour 

 the pigs of each other. 



SOWS EATING THEIR PIGS. 



Young sows will sometimes eat their own offspring, 

 which may be prevented, by washing the backs of the 

 pigs in an infusion of aloes ; and for this purpose, the 

 sows must be watched. It is said that supplying them 

 with plenty of water at this time, will prevent any mis- 

 chief taking place of this kind. 



