PIGGING-HOUSE CLEANLINESS. 189 



basket of straw, will be found convenient, in which 

 to withdraw the pigs from danger when it may be 

 needful, in order to replace them properly, as occa- 

 sion may suit ; which practice it may be necessary 

 to repeat during two or three days, until the pigs 

 shall have acquired strength and caution sufficient 

 to secure themselves. It may indeed be profitable 

 to lose part of a too numerous litter, but accident 

 will not respect the quality of the pigs, and the most 

 puny and worthless may escape. None must be 

 saved beyond the number of teats, and upon an 

 average, NINE is a sufficient number. Would the 

 sow submit quietly, STRAPPING her jaws during the 

 first day and night, with the trouble of releasing her 

 at her meals, would be an effectual security, in case 

 of unnatural voraciousness. As to very numerous 

 litters, our newspaper columns are periodically 

 stocked with triumphant accounts. 



The PIGGING-HOUSE should be warm and dry, and 

 secure from the inroads of foxes and other vermin, 

 which have been known to steal sucking pigs from 

 the sleeping or absent sow. Short straw is prefer- 

 able for a bed, but in not too great quantity, lest 

 the pigs be smothered beneath it ; this should be 

 renewed with due regard to cleanliness, and as the 

 unwieldy sow is apt to crush her young against the 

 wall, it is proposed, in the New Farmer's Calendar, 

 to append an inclining or projecting rail, around, 

 beneath which the pigs may escape, on the down- 

 lying of the sow. Sows which are given to devour 

 their pigs, or have teats too large and coarse, or 

 yield too thick and unwholesome milk, should be 



