96 A COUNTRY READER. 



farmer or cottager better, when the accommo- 

 dation is suitable, than a well-bred breeding 

 sow. With luck and good management she will 

 rear two litters a year, ten or twelve at each 

 litter, and the little pigs soon after they are 

 weaned will sell for about 1. 



A sow has paid the rent of many a small 

 holding. 



Young pigs should be born about the latter 

 end of March or early in April, and towards 

 the end of August, because there is less chance 

 of their being killed by cold weather. More- 

 over, in warm weather they require less feed- 

 ing. 



Not only will a pig eat up and turn into 

 money all the waste of a farm, but his manure 

 is most valuable. Especially is it valuable to a 

 cottager who has difficulty in obtaining manure 

 for his garden and for his bit of land. 



Even if the pig were not profitable otherwise, 

 the villager should keep one for the sake of its 

 manure. 



Now, this is very important. Only keep 

 and breed from well-bred stock. To obtain a 

 good strain of animal may cost a little more 

 money at the outset, but it far more than repays 

 itself afterwards. A well-bred animal does not 

 cost more money to keep than an under- bred one. 

 In fact, the well-bred animal costs LESS to keep, 



