466 THE HOG. 



of heat at the age of about five or six: months, and goes with young 

 on an average 115 days, and will produce regularly two litters per 

 annum ; when particularly well kept, she may have three litters in 

 the course of from thirteen to fourteen months. 



The hogs which are destined to be fattened for the knife are ge- 

 nerally cut at the age of six weeks, particularly if they are to be 

 put up to fatten at the age of nine or ten months, as is often done. 

 Almost all the varieties of roots and grain produced upon the farm 

 are suitable for the maintenance of the hog ; but in Alsace, and I 

 believe generally, the staple is the steamed potato, with which are 

 associated various articles in smaller quantity, such as peas, aod 

 barley and rye meal, &c. 



The farrow sow ought to have food by so much the more abun- 

 dant and nutritious as she is required to suckle a larger number of 

 pigs. Our allowance at Bechelbronn to the hog with five young 

 ones during the six weeks of suckling is as follows : 



lbs. lbs. 



Steamed potatoes 24.75 «= hay 7.8 



Evemeal 2.46=- " 40 



Skim milk 13.2=- " 6.2 



Total allowance 18.0 



After the fifth week, when the animal is no longer giving suck, 

 tlie ration consists of: 



lbs. lbs. 



Steamed potatoes 12.1 — = hay 7-8 



llye tnea! 1.0— " 1.6 



Skim milk [sour] 6.5— " 8.8 



Total Allowance 12.2 



This allowance is gradually reduced to the end of the second 

 mouth after the farrowing, when the animal is upon the maintenance 

 ration of the farm, consisting of : 



lbs. lbs. 

 Steamed potatoes 16.5— hay 5.2 



The potatoes are mixed with dish washings, which certainly con- 

 tribute to improve their nutritive power, although I am altogether at 

 a loss to estimate the value of the article. 



The young pigs begin to taste the food given to the mother at the 

 age of about a fortnight, but they never take to this kind of food 

 freely until they are four or five weeks old and are weaned ; up to 

 this time they have an allowance of skim milk and whey. To five 

 pigs at the time of weaning we allowed per day : 



lbs. 



steamed potatoes 22.0-= bay 7.8 per head 1.4 



Eyemeal 1.0—" 1.6 " 0.88 



Sklmmilk 6.0— " 2.8 " 0.67 



29.6 "llJ 



This allowance was modified by degrees ; the quantities of milk 

 and rye meal were gradually abridged, and the proportion of pota- 

 toes increased, so that about the third month the allowance per head 

 was from 11 to 13 lbs. of potatoes mixed with greasy water. This 



