32 On Diseases of Swine. 



usually began among my swine, I turned out my whole 

 stock on a luxuriant clover field ; and in consequence 

 there ^vas neither staggers or sore throat among them : 

 no sickness and no deaths. Until the last year I have 

 never passed the fall season without losing some and I 

 therefore intend (as long as I find it to answer, to pur- 

 sue the same plan of turning the hogs on clover each 

 succeeding year : I hope the same favourable result may- 

 be the consequence. 



I differ with you with respect to sour wash being 

 " the most grateful and alimentary to swine," in En- 

 gland, I know such an opinion prevails ; but in this 

 climate, I am certain, mine eat most and thrive best 

 while it is sweet. I occasionally give them *' a little 

 salt to their porridge,^^ ^'' dry rotten wood^"* is a good 

 thing, but I will take the liberty to mention what I 

 think a better : we have three blacksmiths in this town, 

 and my hogs eat up all the ashes or cinders they make : 

 we haul it into the pens by cart loads, and the hogs will 

 as you observe by the rotten wood, devour this at 

 times with more avidity then their ordinary food. 



When the hogs are put up to fat I do not find it ne- 

 cessary to give them grit of any kind : the corn appears 

 ♦ to me to answer every purpose : perhaps it is owing to 

 ' their having heretofore been accustomed to the wash ; 

 for when once upon com they will not touch the ashes 

 they formerly eat with so much apparent relish. About 

 five weeks before they are to be killed they are put 

 upon corn, and as much is thrown to them three times 

 a day as they will eat ; it is always given to them in the 

 ear, for having been accustomed to the wash : mastica- 



