SWINE. • 373 



ground, seldom produces large litters or fine pigs ; the pendu- 

 lous condition of the abdomen is the result of weakness and 

 relaxation from ill-feeding and ill-breeding, neglect, with other 

 causes, and is generally accompanied with flat sides, a long 

 snout, and a raw-boned, unthrifty carcase, yielding coarse meat 

 which will not repay the outlay of feeding. 



"Early breeding not only weakens the sow, but, as her physi- 

 cal powers are not yet fully developed, results in the produc- 

 tion of undersized weakly pigs, and perhaps, incomplete as 

 to number ; and these, perhaps, she will scarcely be able to 

 nourish. A young sow of good stock, who produces a large 

 litter at her first parturition of pigs, all of equal size, and 

 proves a good nurse, is valuable ; she promises well, for her 

 first litter may be taken as a sample of those to succeed. 

 As long as such a sow continues to return to the breeder such 

 litters twice a year, he will do well to keep her, more especially 

 if he finds, upon trial, that her progeny fatten kindly, whether 

 as porkers or bacon hogs. Some persons, after obtaining one 

 or two litters from a sow have her spayed, and then fattened 

 oS as quickly as possible for bacon. Some keep to their 

 second or even third year of breeding; but if the last litter 

 was good, and the sow continues vigorous, it becomes a ques- 

 tion how far it may not be more advantageous to keep her still 

 longer, even until the diminished number of pigs produced 

 indicates a decline in fruitfulness. 



" Cold, sleety weather, with keen winds, is very detrimental 

 to young pigs, and not favorable to their mother; hence, 

 early in the spring and late in the summer, or early in the 

 autumn, are the best periods of the year for the production of 

 the litter. In the spring the fields and paddocks offer fresh 

 grass and various vegetables, and a run upon the pastures will 

 not only be a saving to the farmer but of benefit to the young 

 pigs ; besides which, at this season of the year, whey and but- 

 termilk are abundant, and so continue to be during the greater 

 part of summer. An autumn litter, again, will have sufficient 

 time to grow and acquire strength before the severities of mid- 

 winter ; besides, the refuse of the potato crop, and the carrot 

 beds of the garden generally, and of the mill, is now at hand in 

 abundance. 



