AND RURAL ECONOMIST. 171 



formly found them to grow and gain flesh faster than hogs 

 fed upon any thing else but grain. On the first ot Novem- 

 ber, they are very decent pork ; after which I feed them 

 about six weeks on grain before I kill them ; and I believe I 

 have as fat hogs and as good pork as my neighbors, who 

 give to their hogs double the quantity of grain that I do to 

 mine.' 



Sows devouring their Offspring. It is not unfrequently 

 the case that sows destroy their offspring. In the New 

 England Farmer, vol. v. p. 214, is a communication from the 

 Hon. 0. Fiske, in which he observes, ' In most cases where 

 I have inquired into the fact, whether in old or young breed- 

 ers, I have ascertained that they have been disturbed in some 

 of their essential habits, either having been removed from 

 their companions, their range restricted, or from being re- 

 moved from one pen to another. All these changes, how- 

 ever, may be effected with safety, by allowing them sufficient 

 time to become accustomed to them, four or five weeks at 

 least. I have known sows do well w^ith a second litter after 

 having destroyed a first under one of the above excitements. 

 Hence it would be unwise to condemn to death one which 

 hid fair otherwise to be a valuable breeder, even for this 

 1..0 -t unnatural crime. 



Another writer, with the signature 'D.' directs to 'separate 

 the sow from the rest of the swine six or eight weeks before 

 her bringing forth, so that she may become accustomed to 

 her pen. Care should be taken, however, to have her pen 

 kept dry and well littered; always give them litter enough 

 so as not to be obliged to give any for six days before the 

 time, for nothing disturbs a sow more than an abundance of 

 litter, and which in my opinion has a great tendency to in- 

 duce her to destroy her young. If the sow is with the other 

 swine till within a few days of her bringing forth, and then 

 separated, she will not get accustomed to her pen, and being 

 disturbed, she will be pretty sure to destroy her pigs. 



' Raw salt pork, cut in small pieces, and given, will pre- 

 vent them from eating their pigs. I have seen it given after 

 they had ate two or three of their litter, with good success. 

 But to prevent any mischief it should be kept by them at 

 this time."^ A writer for the same paper, vol. xi. p. 298, 

 observes, ' I have been careful for about a week before my 

 sows were about to farrow, to give them some butcher's re- 



* N. E. Farmer, vol. xi. p. 297. 



