CHAP. in. NAMES OF SWINE. 



aged boar emasculated is termed a stag. A female pig is a yelt until 

 she has farrowed, then she is supposed to be a sow. Little pigs of either 

 sex when castrated are called stores, bonhams, bonnaves, &c. 



CHAPTEK III. 



ON THE FEEDING AND FATTENING OF SWINE. 



NOW that the system of marketing fat pigs before they are eight 

 months old is becoming very general, it is more than ever necessary 

 to keep the young pigs in a fresh and gradually thriving condition. 

 Indeed, the very valuable advice given by an old shepherd to a young 

 farmer as to one of the chief points in successful sheep-rearing, viz., 

 "Never let them lose their lamb-fat," might in the case of pigs be 

 advantageously altered to "Never let them lose their early fat." In 

 other words, let the fatting process begin whilst the little pigs are on 

 the sow, and continue to feed them so that they never become poor. 

 It is much cheaper to retain this baby-flesh than to renew it when 

 the pig attains the age of five or six months, at which time it 

 should be half fattened. For some fourteen weeks after the sow 

 has been mated she should have as much liberty as possible, so that 

 her progeny may come healthy and strong. In the summer she will 

 not require much beyond a grass-field to wander in, and a little swill, 

 or a few beans, or soaked maize, but it will be advisable to give 

 her some extra food during the month previous to her farrowing. 

 It is also a good plan to let her lie in the place she will occupy 

 when she farrows. She will thus become used to the surroundings, 

 and accustomed to the attendant who may be called upon in difficult 

 cases of farrowing to assist her. Unless the sow is very quiet, 

 it is better to leave her to herself whilst she is farrowing, as the 

 presence of a person, especially of a stranger, often causes the sow to 

 become excited and restless, when the newly-born pigs are apt to suffer 

 from the sow's attempts to rise. 



We are aware that in the best-managed herds of pure-bred pigs an 

 attendant is with the farrowing sow, and the little pigs as they arrive 

 are wiped dry with a cloth, placed to the teat for a minute or so, 

 and then put into a hamper partially filled with dry wheat straw, 

 where they usually remain until the act of parturition is completed, 

 the afterbirth being removed as soon as it has left the sow. She is 

 then fed with some warm slop, the little pigs are put to her, and the 

 lot are left until feeding time comes round again. 



It is a good plan to walk the sow outside the sty for a few yards 

 on the day after she has pigged. This will nearly always cause her 



