50 



The Large Black Pig. 



[Ape., 



and so avoid crushing. This cU'tificial help usually consists of 

 a mixture of oats, bran, and linseed cake, or boiled linseed 

 mixed with a small amount of pulp and cut stuff. Feeding 

 pregnant ewes entirely upon a dry ration is not recommended, 

 but at the same time roots should be used vary sparingly. 



It is considered of great importance to get the ewes and lambs 

 from the lambing fold as early as possible, and for this purpose 

 the young seeds supply all that is wanted, and in the case of 

 twin lambs the ewes are put on a generous diet and when possible 

 the lambs are allowed to run forward. The pasture is often 

 supplemented with roots, kale and cabbage. 



Weaning usually takes place at the end of May or early in 

 June according to circumstances, but it is found in practice that 

 the food supplied at weaning time should be of a highly nutri- 

 tious character and such as can be easily assimilated. Fresh 

 seeds, supplemented with artificial food, wnth vetches, kale, or 

 cabbage, provide all that is requii'cd. This carries the lambs 

 to early autumn, when they are folded on roots, kale, etc. 



It is the usual custom to keep the breeding ewes during the 

 summer on the poorest pastures that the farm affords, otherwise 

 thev are apt to lay on more flesh than is desirable in a breeding 

 flock. 



To provide the young sheep with a re^>ular rotation of green 

 crops and other suitable foods the breeder must exercise con- 

 si(l(']\:]>]e forethought. This can easily be done by planting so 

 much winter tares and rye in the autumn : following up with 

 spring tares, early Enfield Market cabbage, planted in February 

 or March, accordiBi>' to the weather: the drilling of the early 

 Enfield cabbage, early sheep fold and ox cabbage at intervals 

 during the spring and summer months : assisted with whifp 

 turnips, r.^ipe, kale, kohl rabi, in suitable quantities. A large 

 flock can be kept in this manner. 



****** 



THE LARGE BLACK PIG. 



Sanders Spencer. 



This is Eiiiother of those breeds of pigs wJiieh have increased 

 •enormously in popularity since a society \vns formed to register 

 the pedigrees of the pigs of the breed and to protect the interests 

 of its breeders. Unlike the Cumberland and tb.e Gloucester Old 

 Spots the Large Black appears to have had a dual origin, as 

 ]arge pig? of d black colour were bred to a considerable extent 

 in the Counties of Essex, Suffolk and a portion of Cambridge 



