230 , HARRIS ON THE PIG. 



whole, or ground into meal, cannot be steamed without 

 water, and if it could be, it is doubtful if it would be as 

 good for the animals. The absorption of the water, and 

 having it intimately mixed with the meal, is one of the 

 advantages of cooking. Boussingault well says : " The 

 absolute necessity of a sufficient degree of moistness in 

 the food, in order to secure its due and easy digestion, 

 greatly countenances the practice which is beginning to 

 be introduced in some places of steeping hay for some 

 time in water before giving it to cattle." We think there 

 can be no question that soaking or cooking food renders 

 it much more easily digestible, and if so, the advantages 

 of the practice, where liberal feeding is adopted, cannot 

 be doubted. 



We may add that whole grain, thoroughly soaked or 

 boiled, swells to about double its bulk, and consequently, 

 in feeding, we should allow, at least, twice the quantity 

 that the pigs eat when dry. To attain the best results, 

 we should watch the pigs eating, and when they have 

 eaten up all clean, give a little more, and encourage them 

 to eat as much as possible. There is an amusing story in 

 the American Agriculturist that illustrates the impor- 

 tance of inducing pigs to eat as much as possible. 



" A good story was lately told us of several neighbors 

 who, year after year, vied with one another in trying to 

 produce the fattest hog, each taking a pig from the same 

 litter, or in some way starting fair, and square with pigs 

 of the same age and size, and doing his best to make it 

 as fat as possible before Christmas. One of the farmers 

 invariably beat the others out and out so thoroughly, that 

 his good luck could never be accounted for as accidental. 

 The secret he kept to himself, but being watched by some 

 one determined to find it out, the discovery was made 

 that jealousy is a grand appetizer for hogs. First the pet 

 monster was allowed to fill himself to his heart's content, 

 and when his appetite was satiated, a half-starved shoat 



