SVVI 



S WI 



447 



After the unripe corn is used, 

 that which is ripened must be given 

 them. 



If it be thought most convenient 

 to feed them with corn of the 

 preceding; year, it should not be 

 given them without soaking, or 

 boihng, or grinding it into meal. 

 For they will not perfectly digest 

 much of the hard kernels ; it be- 

 ing often too hard for their teeth. 

 It has been thought by good judges, 

 that the corn will be at least a sixth 

 part more advantage to the swine, 

 for soaking it in water. But there 

 is, if I mistake not, still more ad- 

 vantage in grinding it. What new 

 corn is given them, may be in ears, 

 as it is not hardened enough for 

 grinding. I know of nothing that 

 will fatten hogs faster than a dough 

 of meal and water. But as this is 

 expensive food, the dough may 

 be mixed with boiled potatoes, or 

 boiled carrots. They eat these 

 mixtures as well as dough by it- 

 self; and it appears to make no 

 material 4>fft*''f '»C6 in their fatten- 

 ing. In this mixture, barley meal 

 will answer instead of Indian : 

 Which should be attended to in 

 our more northern parts, where 

 two bushels of Barley may be as 

 easily raised, as one of Indian corn. 

 Both kinds of meal I have found to 

 be a good mixture with boiled po- 

 tatoes; but it should by all means 

 be a little salted to give it a good 

 relish. 



While hogs are fatting, little or 

 none of the wash from the kitchen 

 should be given them. Their 

 drink should be fair water, which 

 they relish better than any other 

 drink, and of which they will drink 



a good deal, when they are fed only 

 o.i corn, or stiff dough. 



To prevent measles, and other 

 disorders in hogs, while they are 

 fatting, and to increase their health 

 and appetite, a dose or two of brim- 

 stone, or antimony, given them in 

 their dough, is useful, and should 

 not be neglected. 



Some change of food may be 

 advisable, in every stage of their 

 existence, as it always seems to in- 

 crease their appetite. But while 

 they are fatting, laxative food in 

 general should be avoided, as these 

 animals are seldom known to suflfer 

 by costiveness, especially when 

 they are full fed, but often from the 

 contrary disorder. If they chance 

 to be costive, a little rye will help 

 them. 



In feeding, steady care should 

 be taken that not one meal should 

 be missed, nor mistimed, and their 

 water should never be forgotten. 

 They should always have as much 

 food as they will eat up clean ; but 

 never more than that quantity, lest 

 they defile it, and it be wasted. A 

 little at a time, and often, is a good 

 rule. 



If their skins be scurfy, or in- 

 clining to manginess, a little oil 

 poured upon their backs, win cause 

 it to come oflf. And some say, a 

 small mess of rye now and then, as 

 a change in their food, is good 

 against these and other disorders. 



If the issues in their fore legs 

 should chance to get stopped, every 

 attempt to fatten them will be in 

 vain. These therefore should be 

 watched ; and if found to be stop- 

 ped, they should be rubbed open 

 with a corn cob. 



