186 HARRIS ON THE PIG. 



ing difference in the feeding qualities of the different 

 breeds, and I am not astonished at farmers saying pigs 

 will not pay. I think the medium size pay better than 

 the large bacon hogs. For eleven years I have kept an 

 account of all my pigs cost, and what I sell, and at the 

 year's end I know the truth. * * I spend $3,500 a 

 year for purchased food, but little on any manure, except 

 lime and salt. I make all the manure I can, and make it 

 good. I calculate I get my pig manure free, but not my 

 cattle manure. For the first fortnight the little pigs live 

 upon the sow's milk. Then they will begin to eat a little 

 dry wheat. As soon as they begin to eat freely, have a 

 place where they can creep to feed, where the sow 'cannot 

 get at their meat ; and feed them separately, twice a day, 

 with milk, meal, and bran, and once a day with dry wheat. 

 But beware of over-feeding them, or any young animals. 

 At six weeks old, the boar pigs are usually castrated, and 

 at eight weeks old, the litter may be weaned by taking 

 away the sow by degrees. But if the sow is not wanted 

 to breed again directly, and you want to forward your 

 pigs, it is a good plan to let them be with the sow, at 

 night only, until they are twelve weeks old, and then they 

 ought to be in very good condition. 



" After twelve weeks, the treatment will depend upon 

 what they are wanted for. If to be made the best of, 

 feed them for the next twelve weeks on boiled meal, vege- 

 tables, and a little bran two feeds a day keeping about 

 six together in a sty, warm, and well bedded. Keep 

 them on cooked food, and a little meal every day, until 

 within six weeks of being killed, when they should have 

 as much barley-meal and water as they can eat. It is a 

 waste of money to give them raw meal all the time, but 

 they should always be gaining until the slaughtering day 

 to go back is a loss." 



It would seem that the plan this farmer adopts, or at 

 least that which he considers best, varying in practice 



