CHAPTER XIII. 

 WESTERN PRACTICES. 



1 There is a tax on the dog but none on the sow." 



Methods in the West differ somewhat 

 as to circumstances and surroundings. 

 The plan pursued by the great masses of 

 western farmers is to have the pigs far- 

 rowed in March or April ; feed both sows 

 and litters together till weaning time. 

 During this time, both sow and litter have 

 free access to a clover pasture, if possible, 

 or in the absence of clover, blue grass 

 pasture will answer very well. At weaning time the 

 sows are taken away and the pigs are left in their accus- 

 tomed quarters, and if they have been taught to eat 

 corn and other kinds of feed, they will scarcely notice 

 the absence of the sow, and will continue to thrive. 



They are now fed liberally on corn and allowed 

 the run of the pasture as before. The more careful and 

 progressive farmers feed slops made from middlings, 

 but by far the greater number, I am sorry to say, feed 

 nothing but corn and grass. This does very well as 

 long as the corn lasts, but when the fall and winter 

 season comes on and the hog is compelled to subsist 

 entirely on corn, it is no great wonder he fails to make 

 the return for the feed consumed that he should. I 



