THE HOG. 407 



is the rc'ximen, equivalent to about 5 lbs. of hay, upon which our 

 store })igs are maintained until they are put up to fatten. During 

 tlie three montlis which follow the weaning, therefore, we may 

 reckon that each animal has consumed 3.8 lbs." of meadow-hay per 

 day, and that from the third month the consumption may be repre- 

 sented by 5.2 lbs. of the same article. 



We have attempted in vain to replace the potato by rape or madia 

 oil-cake ; the pigs refused it obstinately ; but they showed no objec- 

 tioii to poppy seed, walnut and linseed cake ; during the season they 

 will also eat clover, and are partly maintained upon this plant. In 

 summer they are put entirely upon green meat, animals from five to 

 six months old consuming about 19 lbs. of clover a day, a quantity 

 vrliich represents very nearly 5 lbs. of clover hay. 



'J'he hog may be fattened at any age ; but as we have already said, 

 it is not generally advisable to fatten before he is ten months or a 

 year, some say fifteen months or a year and a half old, at which 

 ])'?riod the animal is undoubtedly in flesh and at its full growth. The 

 other extreme limit appears to be about five years ; but it is only a 

 brood sow that is ever kept to five years of age. It is generally 

 allowed that twelve weeks are required to bring a hog into prime con- 

 dition, when he ought to have a layer of fat under the skin upwards 

 of an inch in thickness. Sixteen weeks may be required to obtain 

 an animal really fat ; and twenty weeks to have him at the highest 

 point that is attainable. The hog requires to be fed regularly. 

 After weaning, pigs should have five or six meals in the course of 

 the day ; the number of meals is diminished gradually, and towards 

 the end of two months they amount to but three in all. 



I was curious to ascertain the weight of the pigs at the moment of 

 their birth, so as to determine their rate of increase during the period 

 of suckling. On the 5th of September a sow farrowed a litter of 

 five. 



lbs 

 No. 1 weighed .... 2.205 



Weight of the litter 13.756 



Average weight per head 2.751 



On the 11th of October the weight of the litter was 86.6 lbs., or 

 17.3 lbs. per head ; increase in thirty-six days, 73.2 lbs. ; per head, 

 14.6 lbs. : per day, 0.409 lbs. On the 15th of November the weight 

 was 177 lbs. : increase in thirty-five days, 90.2 lbs.: per head, 18 

 lbs. ; per day, 0.506. During the thirty-six days of suckling, con- 

 sequently, 100 of live weight at birth had become 632. 



In another instance, I found that eight pigs which at the time of 

 weaning weighed 114 lbs. or 14.3 lbs. per head, at a year old 

 weighed 1320 lbs., or 165 lbs. per head : increase in eleven months 

 1206 lbs., or 150 lbs. per head. 



The increase per diera since the weaning had been 0.4. — not quite 



