470 



NEW ENGLAND FARRIER. 



Oct. 



composition from the main portion ; and there 

 was an occasional piece of rock of a lighter or 

 darker color than the ground work, which looked 

 as if it might have been thrown into the general 

 mass when it was in a soft or melted state. As I 

 examined the rock, it seemed like a ke\', which, 

 if rightly used, would open to mankind a vast 

 storehouse of invaluable knowledge ; for, if its 

 history could be perfectly known, the history of 

 the earth's formation, and many of its mysteries, 

 would be made plain and easy of comprehension. 

 In the present state of our knowledge concerning 

 these boulders, wc can only arrive at conclusions 

 respecting their origin and history, which at least 

 seem reasonable, if not perfectly conclusive. 



In another article I shall briefly allude to some 

 of the present theories which are maintained by 

 scientific men, with regard to the origin and 

 transportation of these rocks to their present lo- 

 calities. S. L. White. 



South Grofon, August, 1861. 



PKEPAKATION OP POOD FOR SWINE. 



It is the opinion of practical men, that in order 

 to produce its greatest possible effect, the food 

 given to swine should be slightly fermented. We 

 will give their reasoning, though we frankly say 

 that we have never been able to receive their the- 

 ory to its full extent. As a corroboration of their 

 opinion, they say that in Germany, and several 

 other countries of Europe, draft horses are fed 

 on bread which has been slightly acidified, and 

 that this method of keeping them has been found 

 more economical than feeding them on grain. It 

 is a well known fact, they say, that wheat bread 

 which has been brought very near to the condi- 

 tion of actual acidity — such as is commonly found 

 on the tables of the German population, is much 

 more healthy than unleavened bread, or that which 

 is "raised" by the agency of alkalescent mixtures, 

 such as saleratus, pearlash, &c. A slight fer- 

 mentation, therefore, it appears reasonable to 

 suppose, would prove advantageous to all sub 

 stances of a farinaceous nature, and have a ten 

 dency not only to increase their actual alimentary 

 powers, but to render them more salutary so far 

 as health is concerned. 



Where this plan of preparing food for swine is 

 adopted, it will be necessary to provide a couple 

 of tubs of suitable size, and to feed alternately 

 from each. If both are filled at the same time 

 the first one fed out will be sweet, or in its natur- 

 al state, but the second will, by the time the con^ 

 tents of the first one are expended, have under- 

 gone an incipient fermentation, and acquired all 

 the additional qualities which are to be derived 

 from the process. The exhausted tub must then 

 be replenished, and the alternating course regu 

 larly pursued. 



In very cold weather the economy of fermenta- 

 tion will necessarily be wholly arrested, and re- 

 course must be had to artificial means in order 



to keep it up. Old pieces of stale bread, which 

 ordinarily find their way into the swill tub, will, 

 unless the temperature approximates the freez- 

 ing point, generally put the whole mass into a 

 state of vigorous fermentation in a few hours. It 

 is not impossible that the addition of a small 

 quantity of baker's or brewer's yeast — which is 

 a cheap article — might be economically used for 

 this purpose. It would not be necessary to add 

 fresh yeast to every tub full of food, unless the 

 tub were exhausted completely of its contents — s 

 a contingency which it will be found very easy to 

 obviate, whether the feeding be conducted on a 

 large or limited scale. The acidulation of the 

 contents will fit them for "rising" all additions 

 which may be made, so that a single pint of yeast 

 to each tub, at commencing, is all that is strictly 

 neccessary. Indian corn which has been steamed 

 or boiled is very susceptible of the influences of 

 yeast. In starch manufactories they make a lib- 

 eral use of yeast, in order to facilitate the ex- 

 traction of starch, and it is not unreasonable to 

 suppose that the stomachs of animals would have 

 their labor somewhat lessened by the assistance 

 of the same process. ' 



The stages of fermentation are the saccharine, 

 vinous, acetous, and putrefactive. The first is i 

 exhibited in the malting of barley for the brewery, j| 

 which is rendered sweet by the process ; the 

 second is seen in the "working" of cider, beer, 

 &c, ; the third in the acidification of bread and | 

 the fermentation of vinegar ; and the fourth in ' 

 the decomposition of bodies generally. 



In preparing food for swine, by fermentation, j 

 it is generally believed by these persons, that the I 

 process should be arrested at the third stage, as, 

 should it pass the third, and enter the fourth, it 

 would prove very prejudicial to the health of the 

 animals, and might — should the feeding be con- 

 tinued for some weeks — be productive of harm- 

 ful, if not fatal results. It is well known that 

 the hog is remarkably fond of sour or sweet food ; 

 that he will like and fatten rapidly on cooked 

 sour apples, or on mush made sweet with mo- 

 lasses. In the autumn the fermenting food may 

 be fed with green matters, such as apples, pump- 

 kins, potatoes, Sze. ; or these may be added to the 

 fermenting mass, and be made to undergo the 

 process conjointly with it. 



Such is the common theory among practical 

 men, and it is certainly entitled to consideration. 



After all, however, the secret of making hogs 

 profitable is to get good breeds, furnish them with 

 places where they can be comfortable as regards 

 temperature and moisture, and then feed them 

 regularly, on as much nutritious food as tliey xoill 

 eat with a sharp appetite. This food should be 

 of various kinds — such as meal, roots of some 

 kinds, a little meat, in the form of beef or pork 



