330 HINTS ON SELECTION, CARE AND MANAGEMENT OF SWINE. 



In the following letters will be found a good many solid facts. 

 "Nothing succeeds like success," and the breeders who have thus given 

 us the benefit of their experience are all men who have made a success 

 of the business of raising hogs. We advise a careful perusal. 



Berkshires. 



HAW HILL, SPRINGFIELD, ILL., August 10, 1888. 

 * * * * 



' ' Whether pigs are to be reared and sold for breeding purposes, or to be grown and 

 fattened for market, our general rule is to breed the sows as nearly as practicable during 

 the second week in November ; the pigs will then come about the ist of March following. 



"In this latitude, with the breed we handle, nine months is long enough to allow 

 for the growing and fattening of a hog ; this brings the fattened hogs into market about 

 the first of December. The first of March is also a good time to have pigs come that are 

 to be reared and sold as breeders. Both they and those intended for pork have the sum- 

 mer on grass. All are thus more cheaply raised, are more healthy, make better pork 

 product and better breeding stock. We prefer a good boar from two to five years of age, 

 to one only eight to twelve months old, though the latter may give every promise of mak- 

 ing a very superior animal when fully matured. A young boar, however, from an early 

 spring litter, if properly taken care of through the summer, may be used with full-grown 

 sows in November, or better, a month later. The pigs will hardly be inferior in size and 

 vigor to those sired by an older boar, particularly if the sows bred to the old boar were 

 young or not well matured. In fact, we keep two boars all the time, often three, and 

 when we get one that is particularly to our liking we use him year after year, though not, 

 except rarely, on his own get. At the time the boars are to be used in the fall, we wish 

 them to be in good, healthy condition the young boar growing, and the old one laying 

 on flesh as fast as his restricted allowance of feed will permit, for he should not be fed 

 all the rich food he can eat, like a fattening hog, nor as much as a young and growing 

 boar. After he has commenced service he is fed more liberally, depending upon the 

 amount of service required of him ; and so also with the young boar his rations are 

 increased, though only as needed to keep him in a good, vigorous condition. 



' ' The condition of the sows at the time they are served is also a matter of impor- 

 tance. Having summered on grass, and being only moderately fat, they are taken up in 

 October and put on a diet of more or less grain, depending on the weather. They take, 

 as it were, a new start in growth if young, or in laying on flesh if old. When they do 

 this, and come in season, it is the right time to breed them. They are more certain to 

 hold if served at this time than later, or after they become fat. One good service is all 

 that is needed. The sow is placed in a pen or yard by herself until fully over her heat. 

 She is then put with others that have been bred. It is best not to keep more than four 

 or five in the same yard ; two or three only would be still better, though it is more trouble 

 to have so many small lots to feed, and more expensive making so many shelters. Some 

 regard is also had to dividing them according to size. 



" The time of service is noted down, and time when due to farrow counting sixteen 

 weeks from date of service is also noted. From the i8th to the aist day the sow is 

 noticed carefully, to see if she comes in heat again. If she does she is served, and the 

 new date recorded. About the middle of February, or two weeks before the pigs are due, 

 each sow is put in a comfortable pen by herself, and well bedded. Here she is gentled 

 by the feeder, to whom she soon becomes accustomed. Her feed during this time is such 

 as will tend to keep the bowels open. Much use of dry corn is avoided. When she makes 

 her bed, preparatory to farrowing, care is taken that she does not have too much straw or 

 litter to work with. Better have a warm or well-sheltered pen and less bedding for there is 

 much danger of the pigs being over-laid when the bedding is too plentiful or coarse. The pigs 

 usually come strong, and soon find their way to the teats. If they are weak and helpless, 



