462 FARMING FOR LADIES, [chap, xxiii. 



herself of strong constitution, or her brood 

 will become weakly. It should also be borne 

 in mind, that if very young animals are suf- 

 fered to fall off for want of sustenance, no 

 future superiority of feeding will ever make 

 them regain what they have lost. Supposing, 

 therefore, a litter to consist of nine, we should 

 recommend three to be killed at about two 

 or three weeks as roasters ; and of the re- 

 maining six, four to be killed as porkers, one 

 at three, and the others successively at the 

 distance of a month or six weeks each, while 

 two may be kept as stores, and finally fat- 

 tened for bacon. In short, never bring up 

 more than six or seven of any brood ; and in 

 this way, if a sow farrows twice a-year, or 

 even three times in the course of two years, 

 she will amply supply any moderate family 

 with both fresh and salted pork. 



There is, however, such a popular preju- 

 dice against the use of fresh pork in any of the 

 summer months, that the times of farrowing 

 should be so arranged as to occur in the 

 months of May and September, so as to bring 

 the pork into season from the beginning or 

 middle of September to that of December; 



