THE PIG! TO RAISE AND USE HIM. 209 



and oar pigs breed longer than in England, where the 

 long, cold winters tell upon the mothers. 



To Select Breeding Stock, In selecting for breeding 

 purposes, whether male or female, it is important to choose 

 from among large litters that have been well suckled. 

 Some breeds are noted for prolificness, others could 

 probably be made equally prolific if closer attention were 

 paid to this well established law of nature. The milking 

 qualities of the sow (wliich, by the way, are just ns 

 hereditary as in the dairy breeds of cattle), should not be 

 overlooked ; for no matter how large a litter a sow may 

 produce, they are a drawback unless she can suckle them 

 well. The question of whether the youngster is to be a 

 profit or a loss is largely decided during the few weeks 

 that he draws his mother sustenance. Mauv dairy cows 

 of strong milking inheritance, and that have been brought 

 up to the milking period, are spoiled by bungling milkers. 

 There is no such danger for the brood sow. The 

 youngster when hale and hearty, before he is an hour old 

 has mastered the science of milking, and has acquired 

 greater proficiency than the most skilful dairyist. That 

 organised appetite, wliich we call the young pig, is thorough 

 master of all the instruction ever given on the subject of 

 milking. He milks quietly, thoroughly, and yet gently, 

 except when his rights are disputed. 



KILLING AND CURING. To do up a pig promptly, a 

 sharp knife is requiste, with a blade about eight inches 

 Jong, not more than an inch wide, with a rounded point. 

 Have it very sharp. If his pigship is about loOlbs. a 

 good handy size, by the way, for home use one used to 

 the work would bale him into a corner of the stye, grip 

 him by a leg and an ear, tumble him with his head 

 towards the righthand side, and with his feet towards 

 the operator, who then places his left leg across the 

 pig, and quickly inserts the knife at the centre of the 

 neck and as low as the fore-leg. Or, by whipping >i 

 line round a hind leg, the pig can be raised by a sapling 

 laid over a rail, upon a triangle (as shown in engraving), 

 or other convenient arrai gement. There is no noi.se from 

 a pig laised in this way. And when the knife does its 



