466 THE HOG. 



of heat at the age of about five or six months, and goes with young 

 on an average 115 days, and will produce regularly two litters per 

 annum ; when particularly well kept, she may have three littere in 

 the courss of from thirteen to fourteen mouths. 



The hogs which are destined to be fattened for the knife are ge- 

 nerally cut at the age of six weeks, particularly if they are to be 

 put up to fatten at the age of nine or ten mouths, as is often done. 

 Almost all the varieties of roots and grain produced upon the farm 

 are suitable for the maintenance of the hog ; but in Alsace, and I 

 believe generally, the staple is the steamed potato, with which are 

 associated various articles in smaller quantity, such as peas, and 

 barley aod rye meal, &c. 



The farrow sow ought to have food by so much the more abun- 

 dant and nutritious as she is required to suckle a larger number of 

 pigs. Our allowance at Bechelbronn to the hog with five youug 

 ones during the six weeks of suckling is as follows : 



lbs. lbs. 



steamed potatoes 24.75= bay 7.8 



Ryeraeal 2.45=- " 4.0 



Skimmilk 18.2=- " 6.2 



Total allowance 18.0 



After the fifth week, when the animal is no longer giving suck, 

 the ration consists of : 



lbs. lbs. 



Steamed potatoes 12.1 -= hay 7'8 



Eye meal 1.0-= " 1.6 



Skim milk [sour] 6.5— " 8^ 



Total allowance 12.2 



This allowance is gradually reduced to the end of the second 

 month after the farrowing, when the animal is upon the maintenance 

 ration of tl'.c farm, consisting of : 



lbs. lbs. 

 Steamed potatoes. 16.5— hay 6.2 



The potatoes are nii.xed with dish washings, which certainly con- 

 tribute to improve theii; nutritive jiower, although I am altogether at 

 a loss to estimate the value of the article. 



The young jjigs begin to taste the food given to the mother at the 

 age of about a fortnight, but they never take to this kind of food 

 fracly until they are four or five weeks old and arc weaned ; up to 

 this time they have an allowance of skim milk and whey. To five 

 pigs at the time of weaning we allowed per day : 



lbs. 



Steamed potatoes 22.0 — hay 7.8 per head 1^4 



Ryrmeai. 1.0 '^ " 1.6 " 0.88 



Skimmilk 6.0- " 2.9 " 0.67 



29.6 11.7 



This allowance was modified by der^rees ; the quantities of milk 

 and rye meal were gradually abridged, and the proportion of ])ota- 

 toes increased, so that about the third month the allowance per head 

 was from 11 to l.T lbs. of potatoo^s mixed with greasy water. This 



1 



