250 Transactions of the American Institute. 



but one of our farmers would take the chills if lie were to work there. 

 Away from the rivers the usual yield of wheat is about live bushels, 

 and the corn crop not over twelve. It is good clover there that cuts 

 a ton to the acre, and most of which I have seen would not give over 

 1,500 pounds. How can such land be built up without stock to make 

 manure ? How can stock be fed without grasses ? How can you 

 grow grasses on sterile sands, cold pipe-clay, and worn-out tobacco 

 fields \ 



Yet there are parts of Virginia that I can recommend — the lands in 

 the Piedmont counties — as Orange, Culpepper, Farquier, and over 

 in the valley. Northern men will find that a far more suitable coun- 

 try for them than those dull, pine flats about Petersburg. 



Food foe Pigs. 



Mr. D. D. Metcalf, Auburn, Ind. — I have a nice lot of pigs, twenty- 

 five in number, ranging from two to three months old, and wishing 

 to get them in market this fall, I would inquire how I had better 

 manage them, cook the food or not ? Had I better keep them in pen 

 or on pasture, or in small lots ? If cooked food is the best, had I 

 better grind it first ? I have plenty of clover pasture and corn. 



Mr. F. D. Curtis — These pigs are too young to eat much clover, 

 but it would be better for them to run out and have a chance to eat 

 all they want. I have five Victoria pigs, young ones, which I want 

 to make grow as fast as possible, and my orders are to feed them 

 wheat, bran and middlings, mixed with what milk we may have. 

 Milk is the best feed for pigs, but I take it our correspondent, like 

 myself, has but little of this. A little shelled corn is good, but it 

 must be a small quantity, not more than a gill at a time. Buckwheat 

 is not good for young pigs. Fine or heavy feed of any kind will not do. 

 The bran in the wheat will keep the bowels distended and healthy, 

 while the finer portion will afford the nutriment. To promote 

 growth, rye meal or shorts is not good food. I have tried all these,, 

 and have settled down on wheat middling as the best. It will pay 

 to cook the food for as many pigs as our correspondent intends to 

 feed. 



Hon. Geo. Geddes — I agree generally with what has been said, 

 except I have found barley excellent food for hogs. 



Mr. F. D. Curtis — I have fed it to sows with young pigs, and it is 

 admirable to make milk. 



Hon. Geo. Geddes — I feed together till weaned. It will not pay 

 to cook for a few pigs, but it will pay for a considerable number. 



