HOGS. [MAY. 



hogs should be sorted, and all those of a proper 

 age for feeding on clover, &c. should be drawn 

 and turned into it : this is a part of fanning that 

 has been much expatiated on ; but is not com- 

 mon husbandry in a third part of the kingdom. 

 It well deserves to be considered, which is easy to 

 dO) as we have had pretty clear accounts of it. 



In the old management of swine, they were kept 

 at home, about the farm-house, or a close of grass, 

 all summer, with times of regular feeding on wash, 

 grains, or corn ; but the error of such a conduct 

 was making no distinction between sows with pigs, 

 or weaned pigs, and large hogs. In the more 

 modern method, all the wash, &c. is reserved for 

 the former ; consequently a much larger stock 

 can be kept ; and the hogs, half and three-fourths 

 grown, are turned into the clover or chicory about 

 the middle of this month ; and it is directed, that 

 the gates of the fields be locked on them, and kept 

 there till towards Michaelmas : but for this con- 

 duct the fences must all be in excellent repair, and 

 a pond in the field for the hogs to drink at. This 

 food agrees well with them : they grow fast, and 

 are taken out of either clover or chicory in good 

 order for fatting. This practice must certainly be 

 attended with beneficial effects : enabling the 

 farmer to keep larger breeding stocks of hogs is 

 alone of much consequence, and cannot fail of 

 improving his profit : swine will pay for their food 

 as well as any other application of it ; and the 



conse- 



