BREEDING AND REARING TIGS. 197 



she will eat, and in a week or ten days later, give richer 

 food. Boiled barley is excellent, hut it is better to vary 

 the food, so as to induce the sow to eat more. We often 

 throw our sows an ear or two of corn after they have 

 eaten their regular meal. The more food the sow can be 

 induced to eat, the richer will be the milk, and the more 

 rapidly will the little pigs grow. 



When about six weeks old, the pigs should be altered. 

 Do not be tempted to reserve one of them for a boar. 

 No matter how handsome and well formed he may be, it 

 is absolute folly to use him for breeding purposes. Select 

 out one or two of the best sows, but alter all the boars. 

 The sow pigs will grow and fatten more rapidly if spayed, 

 but it is not often, in this country, that we can find men 

 who are able to perform the operation with safety. Where 

 there are such, all the sow pigs not intended for breeders 

 should be spayed a week or ten days before weaning. 

 There is nothing better to apply to the wound than pe- 

 troleum not kerosene but the crude oil. 



The time of weaning will depend on the time when it 

 is desired to have the next litter of pigs. If the sow is 

 in good condition, she will take the boar in a week or two 

 after the pigs are weaned. And if the sow and pigs are 

 well fed, the pigs may be allowed to remain with the sow 

 until ten weeks or three months old, if there is time 

 enough for the next litter, and the sow is strong enough 

 to stand the drain on her constitution. If she is not 

 strong, wean the pigs when six weeks or two months old. 



It is better not to remove all the pigs at once ; or, if 

 this is done, let them return to the sow for a few minutes 

 at the expiration of twelve hours, and again at the expira- 

 tion of twenty-four hours. We prefer, however, to let 

 one or two of the weaker pigs remain with the sow for a 

 week or so after the others are removed. 



At the time of weaning, the pigs should have extra at- 

 tention. Feed them five times a day the first thing in 



