325 



age, where corn is worth about 70 cents per bushel, and his 

 pork will bring him 6 cents per lb. Success must greatly de- 

 pend on skill, care, selection, and good management. The best 

 swine that I have ever found have been in dairy countries, for 

 there cannot be a doubt that milk and whey for every animal 

 are among the most nutritious of aliments. Indian meal prob- 

 ably ranks next, though many farmers prefer a mixture of prov- 

 ender, such as corn, oats, rye, or barley ; but I believe in all 

 cases cooked food will have a decided advantage over that 

 which is given in a raw state : an advantage more than equiv- 

 alent to the labor and expense of its preparation. Potatoes are 

 a valuable article of food, but the pork is not so good as that 

 fattened upon corn. Carrots are more nutritious than potatoes. 

 Corn given in a raw state or on the ear is a most wasteful 

 management. 



Swine ought to be kept on every farm in sufficient numbers 

 to consume all the offal and waste of the dairy and kitchen. 

 If beyond this, a breed can be obtained, which will arrive at 

 early maturity, and which can be advantageously grass-fed or 

 kept at a small expense and in an improving condition through 

 the summer ; and being put up to fatten early in autumn and 

 forced as much as possible so as to be sent to market early in 

 the winter, the farmer will ordinarily find a fair profit in this 

 branch of husbandry. A great advantage is found in the keep- 

 ing of swine from the valuable returns of manure both in quan- 

 tity and quality, which are obtained from them, where care is 

 taken to supply them with raw materials for the manufacture. 

 Too much care cannot be bestowed in the selection of the 

 breed and the general health of the animal when put up to 

 feed ; and it is strongly recommended to every careful farmer 

 occasionally to weigh the animal and measure the feed, that he 

 may ascertain seasonably on which side the balance of debt or 

 credit is likely to fall. Nothing is more prejudicial to good 

 husbandry than mere guesses and random conjectures ; and 

 though the result of our operations may not meet either our 

 wishes or expectations, an intelligent mind will be always anx- 



