IMPKOPEB FEEDING. 137 



Improper feeding of grain is a most fruitful source of dis- 

 ease among horses. 



But no class of animals is so much abused from a want 

 of proper understanding of their nature as swine. The 

 fact that they are grass-eating animals as much as the ox 

 or the horse, seems to be ignored entirely by the largest 

 class of pig-feeders. Pigs are put upon corn at weaning 

 age, and kept upon it until slaughtered, if cholera does not 

 cut them off in advance. The pig needs for health a little 

 grass or clover hay mixed with the grain diet, as much as 

 other grass-eating animals. We have tested pigs upon 

 meal and grass, and, at the same time, others upon meal 

 alone, in summer, and upon meal and nicely-cured clover 

 hay, softened with boiling water, in winter, and have 

 always found from 25 to 40 per cent, in favor of the mix- 

 ture of grass or clover. But this subject will be further 

 discussed under its proper head. 



We have seen how very important in the economy of 

 feeding is the element of time, and that the "storing 

 system," or keeping animals at a standstill for the purpose 

 of feeding at some future period, is always attended with a 

 great loss of food. Let us now attempt to give some prac- 

 tical suggestions on 



How TO FEED YOUNG ANIMALS. 



As the reader has seen, we believe much in the teachings 

 of Nature, and that a feeder can never mistake when he 

 follows her as closely as circumstances will permit. If 

 then we take the four great classes of farm stock, cattle, 

 horses, sheep and swine, we find that Nature furnishes for 

 their early growth a very perfect food milk. She pro- 

 vides, in this elixir for young life, every element required 

 to build the bones and extend the frame to grow the 

 muscles, tissues and nerves to lubricate the joints, cush- 

 ion or pad with soft suet the exposed parts of the frame, 



