SOILING AND PASTURING SWINE. 187 



and bacon of animals that have been th?is fed is peculiarly firm and 

 solid. 



Rice is another valuable adjunct in fattening swine ; we will quote 

 in support of its properties the following account, given by an 

 amateur pig-breeder : 



" We purchased from the government stores several tons of dam- 

 aged rice at a very cheap rate ; with this we fattened our pigs, and 

 such pork I never saw before or since ; the fat was as firm and solid 

 as the lean, and the flavor of the meat very superior. 



" The way in which the rice was prepared for food was as follows : 

 My copper held forty gallons ; in the afternoon it was filled or nearly 

 so, with water ; as soon as the water boiled, the fire was raked 

 out, two pails of rice immersed in the water, and the whole covered 

 closely down and left to stand until the morning. On the following 

 day the copper was emptied of its contents, which consisted of a thick 

 jelly, so firm as only to be taken out with a shovel ; and on these 

 contents the pigs were fed. The effect was perfect. 



"As to the economy of the plan, that of course must be a matter 

 dependent upon circumstances ; we found it more profitable than 

 almost any other kind of food we could have given, from the price 

 at which we were able to purchase the rice, and its goodness. From 

 some slight experiments, I am induced to think that equal parts of 

 rice jelly and mashed potatoes would constitute an excellent food. 1 ' 



Another person who tried rice as a food for pigs put up two weigh- 

 ing 70 Ibs. each, and fed them entirely on equal parts of boiled rice 

 and steamed potatoes. At first they progressed but slowly, but event- 

 tually attained the weight of 210 Ibs. each. Their flesh was 

 fine and delicate, the fat white and firm, and the flavor of both was 

 excellent. 



Under the head of grain some writers consider beans, peas, 

 and tares ; we have already spoken of the first two when treating of 

 vegetables, and given it as our opinion that pea-meal is little if at all 

 inferior to barley and oatmeal. The addition of a few dry peas to 

 the porridge made of barleymeal and whey is advantageous ; and 

 many persons consider good pea-soup to be equal to any thing in its 

 fattening powers. 



Bran or pollard, unmixed with any farinaceous particles, conduces 

 but little to fatten an animal ; it has been considered that fermenta- 

 tion will increase and develop their nutritive properties, but we 

 should be sorry to be compelled to rely solely on either of these 

 two substances. 



SOILING AND PASTURING SWINE. 



We have already spoken of the advantage of a run at grass to 

 swine of all ages, and permanent pastures are those best adapted to 



