CHAP. XXIII.] FARMING FOE, LADIES. 463 



at which times the pigs will be about three to 

 four months old, and continue in fine order if 

 gradually killed at different stated periods 

 during three or four months longer, according 

 to the consumption of the family. 



As the pigs are to be consumed at different 

 ages, the litter should not, however, be all 

 fattened together, although they may be fed 

 at the same time, and should be gradually 

 brought to a state of proper fatness by giving 

 more meal to those intended to be first killed. 

 The food must therefore be separately given ; 

 but this is a rather troublesome operation, 

 and, in order to lessen it, a good plan is to 

 make divisions in the trough from which they 

 are fed, with holes sufficiently large to admit 

 a pig's head, as here described : — 



Each compartment of the trough may be 

 filled with the same quantity of food, and to 

 this, when the pigs thrust their snouts into 



