152 HARRIS ON THE PIG. 



up the pen tight during a storm. It is also convenient in 

 cleaning out the pen and putting in fresh bedding. 



We do not recommend these pens to any one who can 

 afford to build better ones. Their chief merit consists in 

 their cheapness. They can be easily cleaned out, and sup- 

 plied with fresh litter. Our pigs, when old enough, are 

 allowed to run out every day, into the barn-yard, in win- 

 ter, and the pasture in summer ; and we find this arrange- 

 ment convenient for letting them in and out of the pens, 

 as each pen opens directly into the barn-yard. If well- 

 bred, and properly treated, the pigs will go to their own 

 pens as readily as cows or horses will go to their own 

 stalls. This may be doubted by those who ill-treat their 

 pigs or, in other words, by those who treat their pigs in 

 the common way. But it is, nevertheless, a fact, that 

 there is no more docile or tractable animal on a farm than 

 a well-bred pig. There is a good deal of human nature 

 about him. He can be led where he cannot be driven. 

 A cross-grained man will soon spoil a lot of well-bred 

 pigs. They know the tones of his voice, and it is amus- 

 ing to see what tricks they will play him. We have seen 

 such a man trying to get the pigs into their respective 

 pens, and it would seem as though he had brought with 

 him a legion of imps, and that seven of them had entered 

 into each pig. No sow would go with her own pigs, and 

 no pigs would go with their own mother ; the store pigs 

 would go into the fattening pen, and the fattening pigs 

 would go where the stores were wanted. Should he get 

 mad, and use a stick, some active porker would lead him 

 in many a chase around the barn-yard ; and when one was 

 tired, another pig, with brotherly affection, would take 

 up the quarrel, and the old sows would stand by enjoying 

 the fun. Let no such man have charge of any domestic 

 animals. He is a born hewer of wood, and drawer of 

 water, and should be sent to dig canals, or do night-work 

 for the poudrette manufacturers. 



