Book VII. FATTENING OF SWINE. 1019 



The kitchen and dairy give some assistance to pigs newly weaned, and also to such as 

 are soon to be slaughtered. A great many are killed when about a year old, that have 

 never been fed at any expense that can be estimated. A few pigs, if of a good breed, 

 will always be moderately fat at that age with the run of the straw-yard, and their flesh 

 is of an excellent quality. 



6569. To prevent swine from digging in the soil, the best method is to cut the two 

 strong tendons of their snouts with a sharp knife, about an inch and a half from the 

 nose. This may be done with little pain, and no prejudice to the animal, when about 

 two or three months old. The common practice of restraining them by rings fixed In 

 the snout is painful and troublesome ; they must be replaced as often as they give way, 

 and that happens so frequently, that rings afford but little security against this nuisance. 



Sect. III. Of Fattening Swine. 



6570. The following system of rearing and fattening sivine on an arable farm is recom- 

 mended by a writer in the Farmer's Magazine. Upon a tillage farm consisting of three 

 hundred acres, whereof two hundred are kept under the plough, he is of opinion that a 

 considerable sum may be annually gained from keeping swine, were the management 

 arranged in a systematic manner. One main advantage of such a branch of rural 

 economy arises from little or no capital being required to carry it on, while the trouble 

 and outlay attending it scarcely deserve notice. With the addition of one acre of broad 

 clover, and one acre of tares, for the summer and autumn months, and the like extent of 

 groiuid for turnips and yams during the winter and spring months, this stock of swine 

 may lie amply supported. 



6571. Were two breeding sotvs kept on a farm of the size mentioned, and their produce reared by the 

 fanner, it may be calculated that forty swine, weighing seven or eight stone each, would be annually fed 

 off, in the months of January and February each year, the time when pork is most in demand. That 

 such a number of swine can be supported and fed upon the offals of a three hundred acre farm, and the 

 other auxiliary articles specified, may be pronounced a certain fact 



6572. The breeds, he recommends, are the hardy smaller sized varieties, but not the Chinese, or any of 

 the pot-bellied sorts ; because he has found that such breeds will thrive and grow fat where larger and 

 finer breeds would starve. 



6573. The Tnode of management is, that a boar and two good sows of a proper age should constantly be 

 kept, and that one young sow Shall annually be reared, in order to supply the others when they pass 

 maturity. He would cast off the oldest sows, i. e. feed them when they arrive at three years of age, 

 which, of course, would cause four sows to be in hand at one time. These annually would produce more 

 than the forty pigs which are to be held on ; but the remainder might be sold as they are weaned, there 

 being a regular and steady demand in most parts of the country for young pigs. He has for a number of 

 years, kept a stock of swine in the way recommended. They go at large in the court or yard belonging to 

 the farm, and receive a feeding of of&l grain in the morning, and of yams or turnips in the evening ; and 

 the meat fed in this way has constantly drawn the highest price. They get also the dish-washings of the 

 house, any milk or whey that remains unconsumed, and have the dunghill to roam upon, where perhaps 

 more food is to be gathered, especially if the horses are fed upon unbroken grain, than is commonly 

 imagined. It will readily be figured, that under this mode of management, the latter end of summer 

 and the harvest months is the critical period for carrying on a stock of swine. During these months 

 little threshing goes forward, and horses seldom receive any corn for aliment ; hence all that can be con- 

 sistently attemjjted is to keep the animals in a growing state, and prepare them for fattening cleverly, 

 when food of a more nutritious quality can be procured. Clover and tares will do this effectually, the 

 last particularly so when in a podded state. Turnips can also be got by the end of September; and it 

 must be recollected, that through the summer months a considerable quantity of milk and whey can be 

 given, upon which swine will be found to thrive heartily. He does not know a more beneficial stock 

 upon a fann than swine, so long as the quantity kept is in proportion to the extent of ofials about the pre- 

 mises. The other articles recommended are merely meant to render the consumption of offals more bene- 

 ficial, to carry on the stock at periods when such offals are scarce. The charge of attendanse is very 

 small J indeed, the benefit gained by the dunghill will more than comi)ensate the expenses incurred. To 

 make as much profit from cattle or sheep requires a great advance of money ; but in the article of swine 

 hardly any is necessary, while the most part of the articles consumed cannot, in any other way, be con- 

 verted to such beneficial.purposes. 



6574. In fattening for bacon and flitches the larger breeds are chosen ; and in 

 breweries, distilleries, oileries, and dairies, fed on grains, oil-cake, and milk : but where 

 arable farmers keep swine of this description, as is the practice in some of tlie western 

 counties, the method is to rear chiefly on raw potatoes and Swedish turnips, and to 

 fatten on these roots, boiled or prepared by steam, with a mixture of oat, barley, or bean 

 and pea meal. Their troughs should be often replenished with a small quantity of food 

 at a time, and ke2)t always clean ; and their food changed occasionally, and seasoned 

 with salt. If proper care be taken, says a late writer, a feeding pig should not con- 

 sume more than six Winchester bushels of oats made into meal. It ought to be shelled 

 before it is ground, the same as for family use, but need not be sifted. {Henderson s 

 Treatise on Swine, p. 26. ) 



6575. In fatting sucking pigs all that is requisite is to keep the mother well lodged 

 and nourished. Weaned pigs when to be fatted are kept constantly on whey, or 

 skimmed or butter-milk, with frequently an addition of pease or beans, or barley-meal. 

 Such good keeping not only makes them increase rapidly in size, but renders them fit 

 for the butcher at an early age. Swine are sold to the butcher at different ages, and 

 under different names ; a.s pigs when a few weeks old ; as porkers at the age of fire 

 or six months ; and as full grown hogs at from eighteen months to two years old. The 

 young pigs are commonly roasted whole ; the porkers are used as fresh or pickled pork ; 



