324 



2 pigs of 100 wt. each, will give ordinarily 340 lbs. 



less original wt. 200 



gain 140 lbs. 



" But the 3 pigs of 90 will not consume for the first 3 months 

 half so much as the 2 of 100 each, and I have kept a 4th and 

 sold it in August for quarter pork. 



" There is nothing new or remarkable in these facts. It is 

 the law of the whole animal creation. It is true of the calf 

 and of man. The child of 7 lbs. quadruples its weight in 12 

 months ; and the calf of 60 wt. if fine and well fed will weigh 

 600 wt. at the end of the year, and (if a female) will not dou- 

 ble the last weight at any age. 



"P. S. It should be remarked that the weight at purchase 

 is live weight, and at sale dead or net weight, because in truth, 

 to the owner this is the true mode of considering the subject. 

 No doubt my sort of food is peculiarly favorable to young ani- 

 mals, it consisting in very liberal allowance of milk. If the 

 older pigs were at once put on Indian meal they would attain 

 to 250 lbs. at a year old, but the cost of the meal at 70 cts. per 

 bushel would amount to 9 dollars, and if the first cost, 5 dol- 

 lars 50 cents, be added, and the pig sold at 6 cents, there would 

 be but 2 dollars gain on 2 pigs of 100 lbs. each ; while 3 small 

 pigs without meal fed on milk would give 24 dollars in the 

 same time. I do not mean to give minute details but general 

 views. As an important qualification of the foregoing state- 

 ment it should be added, that shoats of 6 months bought out 

 of droves have usually been stinted in their growth, and ani- 

 mals, like trees, recover slowly after a check. I presume if 

 shoats were taken from a careful and liberal owner the differ- 

 ence would be less. But as a general law it may be safely af- 

 firmed, that weight for weight at the purchase, the younger the 

 animal the greater the positive, and the far greater the net gain. 

 At least such is my own experience and belief." 



The preceding facts and experiments encourage the belief 

 that hogs may be raised and fattened by the farmer to advant- 



