MANAGEMENT OP THOKOUGH-BRED PIGS. 215 



meal or barley-meal. After the second week, give richer 

 food, but be careful that it is not rich enough to derange 

 the stomach of the sow, and produce diarrhoea in the 

 little pigs. Boiled barley, given in connection with the 

 milk and bran, is excellent. Let it be thoroughly boiled. 

 Soak it in water for twelve hours, and afterwards boil it 

 in the same water until it bursts open. Three weeks after 

 farrowing is the critical time for the sow. The pigs be- 

 gin to require much more milk, and are constantly pulling 

 at her. She will begin to fall off in flesh, and this is not, 

 in itself, objectionable, provided it is not carried too far. 

 It is here that the breeder must exercise his best judg- 

 ment. The sow must have a liberal and regular supply 

 of nutritious food. But be very careful not to give her 

 a comparatively innutritions food one day, and a full sup- 

 ply of rich food the next. The true plan, as we have be- 

 fore said, but it cannot be too often repeated, is to feed 

 the little pigs, and thus lessen their demands on the 

 mother. Give them a little new milk from the cow, and 

 take pains to teach them to drink it. If you teach one 

 to drink, the others will be likely to follow his example. 

 A little sugar or molasses in the milk will prove accepta- 

 ble to the pigs. In a few days, mix a little scalded or 

 boiled oat-meal with the milk, and gradually increase the 

 quantity as their appetites increase. A little boiled barley 

 may also be given, and throw them a handful of whole 

 oats on the floor of their pen, for them to crack and exer- 

 cise their teeth on. In this way you can save the strength 

 of the sow, and we deem this one of the most important 

 points in breeding, especially with the first litter. 



In the natural state, sows do not have more than half 

 as many pigs at a litter as the improved breeds, and they 

 do not grow half as fast, and consequently do not require 

 more than half as much milk. Those who talk so much 

 about following " Nature," seem to forget these facts. 

 Our object is to improve on nature, and to do this we 



