416 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



harvested eighty tons of the best hay he ever saw stored ; 

 and, said he, "I have no use for it whatever, so I put it on 

 the market, and every ton brings twenty dollars. My hogs, 

 which I am obliged to keep to clean up refuse, are responsible 

 for this condition of things on my place." This is only one 

 of many instances where hogs are proving a very remunerative 

 adjunct in the farm economy. 



ACCOMMO D ATIONS . 



As for accommodations, start in with Avhat you have, and 

 if you are pros})ered, you will feel encouraged to arrange 

 more comfortably. Ten good ])rood sows and a boar is a 

 reasonable number to start with. Some one will say it will 

 not do to count your chickens before they are hatched ; but 

 with reasona1)le success this outfit ought to produce one hun- 

 dred good pigs every time the sows breed. This season 

 Yorkshire sows have produced remarkably large litters, — 

 in almost every instance from twelve to twenty. With very 

 good care and plenty of milk, every pig could be raised if 

 the sow has a good teat for each one. Almost every New 

 England farm has its variet}^ of buildings and shed.s, and 

 with a little good calculation and ingenuity good quarters 

 can be arranged for the winter season. If it were only pos- 

 sible to get farmers to realize that it is not at all necessary 

 to have expensive quarters in order to get the best results, 

 we should hear of more successes and less of failures. Neat, 

 well-arranged quarters are to l)e advocated ; but something 

 of a more primitive nature is })referable to a heavy debt at 

 the start. Let the idea of perfect comfort predominate in 

 every arrangement that is made. 



As farrowing time approaches, be sure the sow is in a pen 

 with a good strong rail or plank around the sides, standing 

 out some lifteen inches, and a foot from the floor. A care- 

 less mother will lose some pigs, the best you can do. Should 

 the sow be cross, remove the })igs as they come, to some very 

 dry and warm receptacle. About as good and convenient 

 an arrangement as can be made is to fill a large can with hot 

 water, stand it in the middle of a box, wrap about it enough 

 bags or old blankets so the pigs will not ))e in danger froui 



