214 DOMESTIC AJS'IMALS. 



of March, and July or Ang-nst. A litter obtained later than x\ngnst 

 has nuich to contend Avith, and seldom proves profitable ; some, indeed, 

 state that Avhen such an occurrence does take place, whether from acci- 

 dent or neglect, the litter is not worth keeping. It is little nse, how- 

 ever, to throw any thing away. Should the reader at any time have a 

 late litter, let him leave them with tiie sow; feed both her and them 

 with warm and stimulating food, and he will thus have excellent pork, 

 with which to meet the market, when that article is at once scarce and 

 dear, and consequently profitable. By following this system of manage- 

 ment, he will not only turn his late litter to account, but actually realize 

 most as good a profit as if it had been produced at a favorable season. 



'\he period of gestation in the sow varies ; the most usual period 

 during which she carries her young, is four lunar months, or sixteen 

 weeks, or about one hundred and thirteen days. M. Teissieur, of Paris, 

 a gentleman who paid much attention to this subject, in connection not 

 merely with swine, but other animals, states that it varies from one 

 hundred and nine to one hundred and forty-three days; he formed his 

 calculation from the attentive observation of twenty-five sows. 



The sow produces from eight to thirteen young ones at a litter, some- 

 times even more. Extraordinary fecundity, is, however, not desirable, 

 for a sow cannot give nourishment to more young than she has teats 

 for, and, as the number of teats is twelve, when a thirteenth one is lit- 

 tered, he does not fare very well. The sufferer on these occasions is of 

 course the smallest and weakest; a too numerous litter are all indeed 

 generally undersized and weakly, and seldom or never prove profitable; 

 a litter not exceeding ten, will, usually, be found to turn out most ad- 

 vantageously. On account of the discrepancy subsisting between the 

 number fjirrowed by different sows, it is a good plan, if it can be man- 

 aged, to have more than one breeding at the same time, in order 

 tliat you may equalize the number to be suckled by each. The sow 

 seldom recognizes the presence of a strange little one, if it has been 

 introduced among the others during her absence, and has lain for half 

 an hour or so among her own offspring in their sty. 



While the sow is carrying her young, feed her abundantly, and in- 

 crease the quantity until parturition approaches within a week or so, 

 when it is as well to diminish both the quantity and quality. While 

 she gives suck you cannot feed her too well. You may wean the young 

 at eight weeks old, and should remove them for that purpose from the 

 sow; feed them well, frequently, abundantly, but not to leaving, and on 

 moist, nutritious food, and pay particular attention to their lodgment — 

 a warm, dry, conifortable bed is of fully as much consequence as feed- 

 ing, if not even of more. Should the sow exhibit any tendency to de- 

 vour its young, or should she have done so on a former occasion, strap 

 up her mouth for the first three or four days, only releasing it to admit 

 of her taking her meals. Some sows are apt to lie upon, and crush 

 their young. This may be best avoided by not keeping the sow too fiit 

 or heavy, and by not leaving too many young upon her. Let the straw 

 forming the bed also be short, and not in too great quantity, lest the 

 pigs get huddled up under it, and the sow unconsciously overlie them in 

 that condition. 



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