568 I'ANNAGE. 



(if mast in a forest, and to fix the nnniber of admissible swine 

 accordiu<,dy. 



In estimating a crop of mast, the followinj:,' points should 

 be considered : extent of the area stocked with mast-trees, 

 density of the wood, nature of the soil, whether there are many 

 oaks or not, amount of mast produced that season, quantity 

 of ground-mast, lirc. Although all these factors should be 

 brought into the reckoning, it is safer to base the valuation 

 fhiefly on the experience of former years. Unless the number 

 of swine admissible is regulated by custom, or fixed by legal 

 enactment, averages may be taken of the number admitted 

 in previous years, either of full or half mast. If, then, any 

 changes which have occurred in the woods and the comparative 

 richness of the actual crop of mast are considered (the practical 

 advice of peasants and swine-herds being taken), the forester 

 may form a sufficiently accurate estimate of the number of 

 swine admissible. He need not fear that the peasants or 

 swineherds will over-estimate this number, for to do so is 

 clearly against their interests ; swine which are only half 

 fed in the forest come home hungry, and require stall-feed- 

 ing, and the swineherd has ten times the trouble in such 

 cases, especially at night, when he cannot keep the herd 

 together. 



(c) The Swine must be kept in Herds, under Trustworthy 

 Herdsmen. — It is clear from what has preceded that much re- 

 sponsibility devolves on the swineherds, both as regards the 

 proper feeding of the pigs, and their control from a sylvicnltural 

 point of view. 



The swineherds must not only keep the pigs together and 

 prevent them from entering closed portions of the forest, but, 

 carefully control the pannage. The most important points for 

 their attention are : — careful choice of feeding grounds, which 

 should be changed from time to time, according to nature 

 of locality ; state of the weather ; distance from the night- 

 resorts ; moderate use of wallowing-places, according to the 

 state of the weather and the amount of moisture in the soil ; 

 above all, attention to all matters which assist in keeping the 

 herd healthy and well fed. As a rule, the interests of the 

 forest owner and of the owners of the pigs do not clash. 



I 



