044 



FARMERS' REGISTER. 



[No. 11 



der to stretch their legs, which is far preferable to total 

 eonfineinent. 

 It sometimes happens, at the first farrowing, that 



Soung sows will eat their progeny ; to prevent which, 

 ley should not only be narrowly watched, as the 

 period of gestation is expiring, but also be moderately 

 fed, two or three days before the expected time 

 arrives. Where, however, this precaution has been 

 omitted, it has been recommended to wash the backs of 

 newly-farrowed pigs with a sponge, dipped in a luke- 

 warm infusion of aloes and water, wliich will prevent 

 her from destroying them. Another circumstance 

 worthy of notice, where there are several sows farrow- 

 ing at the same time, is to confine them in sepa- 

 rate pens or styes, otherwise they will mutually 

 destroy their offspring; and, as these animals are, at 

 such time, extremely mischievous, they should be 

 supplied with plenty of water, which expedient is said 

 to prevent them from committing any injury. 



The best time for killing sricki7Jg pigs, for the mar- 

 ket, is at the end of three weeks; by which time 

 the others integded to be raised, will be able to follow 

 the sow, and then the males may be castrated ; the 

 spaying of females may be deferred for another week. 



When it is proposed to wean pigs, (the proper age for 

 which purpose is two months, having castrated such as 

 are not reserved for breeding at six weeks,) they 

 should be kept in styes, having a small yard wherein 

 they may run ; both being kept perfectly clean and 

 well littered. Their food must be good, and given as 

 plentifully as they will eat. Boiled potatoes or carrots 

 for a fortnight, and then raw ones, will prove good 

 food ; with a bait eveiy day, for a month, of oats, and 

 aftei-wards pea, or bean, barley, or buck-wheat meal, 

 unless there is a dairy ; in which case, a mess of milk 

 or whey may be substituted till the clover-field is 

 ready for them, which may be in the beginning of May, 

 and, if the pigs are three months old, they will thrive 

 well on that food. Lettuce has also been (bund very 

 serviceable, not only on account of the succulence 

 of the plant, but from its promoting an inclination to 

 sleep, which is of the utmost importance to the growth 

 of young animals ; but in the rearing of pigs, no kind 

 of food can bear a comparison with milk. During the 

 weaning, especial care ought to be taken in supplying 

 them with abundance of sweet straw, and to keep the 

 pigs in as clean a state as possible, so that they may al- 

 ways have fine sleek coats ; a circumstance this of such 

 consequence, that the want of it can never be compen- 

 sated by the most plentiful suppply of food. 



In the management of swine, of whatever breed or 

 variety they may be, it will be proper to have them 

 well ringed, to prevent them from breaking into corn- 

 fields during harvest; and that operation ought to be 

 performed as early as possible, or the practice recom- 

 mended by Mr. Tubb, a spirited breeder, at Lord So- 

 merville's cattle-show, in 1805, may be substituted in 

 lieu of ringing. It consists simply in shaving, or par- 

 ing oif, with a razor or sharp knife, the gristles on the 

 top of the noses of young pigs : the place soon heals 

 over, and they are thus rendered incapable of that des- 

 tructive rooting, or turning up of the ground, which 

 farmers find so detrimental to sward land. 



Sows may be allowed to breed til! they are six 

 years old ; and a boar to serve them till he has passed 

 his fifth year. After that time, the former may 

 be spayed, and put up to fatten ;.and the latter may be 

 castrated, as he is then no longer fit for genera- 

 tion, though his flesh will make excellent bacon. 



In buying and selling swin-e, both in a fat and 

 lean state, it appears, from actual and repeated experi- 

 ments, that in the former case, every twenty pounds of 

 live weight will, when killed, produce from twelve to 

 fourteen clear weight; the advantage being in favor of 

 large hogs ; so that, if a farmer or breeder weigh the 

 animals while alive, he will be enabled to ascertain the 

 net profitable weight when dead. By weighing the 

 hogs every week, he may also judge the best time for 



disposing of them to advantage; because, as soon as an 

 animal ceases to acquire that daily increase which 

 makes it beneficial to feed him, the best step that can 

 be followed is to sell, or slaughter him without further 

 delay. 



With regard to the buying of hogs in a lean state, the 

 most certain criterion, by which any judgment can be 

 formed, is by weight ; but as open markets seldom af- 

 ford the means of weighing, a purchaser is generally 

 compelled to rely on the accuracy of his eye ; and, 

 tlierefore, if he has not already acquired sufficient ex- 

 perience, if a few lean pigs, of the same size as those 

 intended to be purchast^d, be previously weighed, 

 a standard will be obtained, which will enable him to 

 decide with some precision, and, consequently, to ofler 

 a proper price. 



On the feeding and fattening of swine. 



When permitted to wander abroad, at pleasure, 

 swine devour in marshy and miry grounds, fern, 

 frogs, sedge, &c.; but in drier spots, they feed on sloes, 

 crabs, hips, haws, chestnuts, acorns, beech-mast, and 

 similar wild fruit. In the domestic management of 

 these animals, however, the quality and supply of 

 their food is regulated by the divisions into which they 

 are classed, according to their age and other cir- 

 cumstances. In order, therefore, that the food may be 

 expended to the most advantage, itwill be advisable to 

 distinguish these animals in the following manner : — 

 1. Sows with pig; 2. Pigs; 3. Store" pigs; and 

 4. Fatting hogs. 



1. AVith regard to soivs in pi^, it is obvious that they 

 should be better fed than either of the two following 

 classes, in order that they may be enabled to sup- 

 ply their young litter with the necessary supply 

 of milk ; but, while care is thus taken to keep them in 

 good condition, equal caution is necessary that they be 

 not too fat. Thus, for such as litterin the spring, tares 

 and cabbages, combined with the waste milk and 

 wash of the house and dairy, may be employed with 

 advantage ; or, if the supply from the dairy be not ade- 

 quate to the demand, a wash may be prepared 

 with oat, barley, or other meal. For those which lit- 

 ter in autumn, lettuces have been found very whole- 

 some and nuitritive, in addition to the wash ; and in 

 the winter season, potatoes, Swedish turnips, and 

 other roots, previously prepared by boiling, should be 

 added. 



2. With regard to young pigs, they may be fed, after 

 being weaned, in the same manner as sows ; but the 

 addition of pea-soup, made by boiling a bushel and a 

 half of peas in about sixty gallons of water till they are 

 thoroughly broken and dissolved, and either given 

 alone or mixed with the dairy wash, will very materi- 

 ally improve their condition. If any dry meat be 

 given, Mr. Young is of opinion that oats are preferable 

 to any other sort of corn, as bailey is apt to disagree 

 with them.* It certainly has frequently had thatenect 

 when the grain has been given whole, but no species of 

 food has been found more fattening than barley-rneal, 

 especially when combined with milk: it is also an ex- 

 cellent addition to steamed potatoes. Whatever may 

 be the food, it is commonly thought that it better pro- 

 motes the growth of young pigs if given warm, than 

 cold. 



An intelligent farmer in North Britain, who keeps 

 from five to seven breeding swine, disposes of most of 

 their produce, when from six weeks to three months 

 old ; considering this system fully as profitable as fat- 

 tening them for sale. At these "ages he generally has 

 a good .demand for them, as many people, such as 

 tradesmen, villagers, 8cc., wish to fatten a pig, who 



* Farmer's Calendar, p 22. Mr. Marshall also mentions that 

 opinion .ifi bein? prevalent in Leicestershire. Miilland Coun- 

 ties, 2d edt. Vol. I. p. 329. 



