6 



Rearing and Fattening of Pigs. 



White Yorkshires. The first and last kinds are generally 

 considered the best for the production of London porker pigs 

 and small pork, whilst the other three varieties are said to be 

 more suitable for bacon curing and for those heavy pigs which 

 are still preferred in the more northern counties of England. 

 As I am considerably interested in the breeding and sale 

 of two of the varieties mentioned, some persons may not look 

 upon me as exactly'one whose advice they would seek when 

 selecting a boar ;] but this I do most earnestly desire to impress 

 upon pig-breeders, that they should have a really good specimen 

 of the particular breed they decide upon. The extra cost will be 

 repaid in a few months if many sows are kept, while the 

 produce will be a continual source of pleasure. 



Perhaps there is not so great a divergence in the general 

 opinion as to the type of sow which should be selected. Of 

 course, each particular kind of pure-bred pig has its own sturdy 

 champions ; this is a phase of the subject which is best left 

 for the present. The question of colour may be deserving 

 of some consideration, but the chief and most important thing 

 is to select a brood sow so formed and of such a disposition 

 that a good and thrifty litter from her is almost a certainty, 

 provided that care and attention be bestowed upon her and 

 her young family. 



It is difficult to decide which of the many good qualities 

 a sow should possess is the most important. I would place 

 docility and the having had a good mother amongst the urgent 

 necessities in a brood sow. A bad-tempered or nervous sow is 

 bound to be a source of trouble and annoyance, while the litter 

 reared by her will be few in number and of less value per head than 

 the pigs of a litter from a good sow. Bad temper leads to many 

 troubles ; amongst these will be found the horrid habit of eating 

 the little pigs, the treading on and injuring the newly-born 

 youngsters, a scarcity of milk or its unhcalthiness, occasional 

 injury to the attendant, and frequent damage to the pig-sty ; in 

 fact, a bad-tempered yelt ought never to be kept for breeding 

 purposes, as not only is she a nuisance, but her produce are 

 almost sure to inherit the weakness of their dam, which will 

 certainly result in unrest and waste of food when the pigs are 

 being fattened. The buyer of a yelt intended to be brought up 



