58 ON FATTENING PIGS. 



tlie teasing- of flies, and all who wish their pig-s to thrive 

 will provide shelter. Pigs intended to fatten shoidd never 

 be allowed to run about, as no food they can get by prowling- 

 about will compensate for the loss of flesh sustained by the 

 continual state of motion. In a form it may be very Avell to 

 have some running about to pick up dropped oflal ; but 

 where the pigs are regularly fed with a sufficient supply, it 

 is a thriftless plan to waste by exercise the flesh that by 

 a state of rest would make a good return for the food con- 

 sumed and the expense of attendance. The strong- food 

 above mentioned is chiefly recommended to fatten hogs to a 

 larger size, but does not exactly suit quarter porkers ; it is 

 too heating-, and produces pimples which g-ive a diseased 

 appearance ; therefore, for quarter pork, use either fine 

 middlings with milk or pure water, or reduce the streng-th of 

 the barley or peasmeal by adding- an equal quantity of 

 pollard ; wash or pot liquor is impalatable to pig-s during- the 

 process of fattening- on meal. 



If, from chang-e of weather or other causes, my pigs get 

 costive and are ofl" their food, I supply them with a little 

 green food, according- to, the season of the year, as a few 

 cabbage-leaves, lettuces, or potato-tops, or with potatoes and 

 mangel-wurzel ; if, on the other hand, they are purged, I 

 have a sod dug from the roadside and given them ; or, which 

 I sometimes think is better, I let them into a yard whez-e 

 there are cinders, mould, brick, and chalk rubbish. I think 

 very little of garden-stuff as a means of keeping a pig- in a 

 g-ood growing- condition ; it is no help further than satisfying- 

 occasionally the cravings of hunger ; sows will do on it, or 

 on grass, if there can be added daily a feed or two from the 

 wash-tub. Sows, during- the time of gestation, shoidd have 

 their diet restricted to articles that will not produce obesity ; 

 for sows, as well as cows, are apt to be attacked with what 

 is called the milk-fever ; and, besides, unwieldy sows have 

 not that command over their movements that sows with a 

 less proportion of flesh have, and are very likely to crush 

 many of their young ones. For the first fortnight, the sow 

 should be fed in such a manner as to leave off with a g-ood 

 appetite, and no better or more forcing- food be given than, 

 fine pollard or coarse middling-s ; but as soon as all fever has 

 disappeared, and the pigs can take the milk as fast as the 

 sow can su])ply it, the finest middlings or oatmeal, or some- 

 times boiled rice, when it can be procured at about 8s. or 

 8s. 6(L a cwt., may be given three times a day. My little 



