212 HARRIS ON THE TIG. 



When a litter of pigs gets chilled, there is nothing bet- 

 ter to revive them than hot chaff from the steam vat, re- 

 newed by degrees as often as it gets cool. We have 

 saved pigs in this way that were almost lifeless. Place 

 the chaff along the side of the sow, next to the teats, and 

 put the little pigs on it, and nearly cover them witli the 

 chaff, and then throw a blanket over the sow and the 

 pigs and hot chaff. Of course it will be necessary to re- 

 main with the sow and watch the pigs ; and we have 

 sometimes given them, with advantage, a little warm new 

 milk, or fresh cream, with a teaspoonful of gin or whiskey 

 to three or four tablespoonfuls of the milk or cream. 

 When they revive a little, place them to the teats, and 

 encourage them to suck a little. 



In very cold weather, it is often desirable to hang some 

 blankets from the top of the pen around the sow, like the 

 curtains on a tent-bedstead ; and by placing several bags 

 of hot chaff inside the curtains, the temperature may be 

 raised several degrees. If more convenient, pails of hot 

 water may be used instead of the hot chaff. 



We once had a litter of valuable pigs come one night 

 during a -severe cold storm. The kitchen fire was out, 

 and no hot water to be had, but in the steam-house was a 

 barrel of boiled barley. By taking a little from the top 

 it was found to be hot underneath, and we carried six or 

 eight pailfuls of hot barley into the pen, and in this way 

 managed to keep the pigs warm, and save the whole litter. 



When the pigs are two weeks old, they will begin to 

 lap a little milk, and a week later, will eat a few oats. 

 The directions already given in a previous chapter are ap- 

 plicable here. When the pigs are a month old, we let 

 the sow out from the pigs in the morning, after breakfast, 

 and again after dinner, feeding the pigs while the sow is 

 away. At first, the sow is kept out only an hour or so at a 

 time, and as the pigs get older, she may be kept out longer. 

 In this way the little pigs will eat more food, and will not 



