All Essay on Fat. and Muscle. 
265 
quently the less soluble are the substances it contains. Both 
theory and experience, then, indicate to the farmer the necessity 
of cutting his hay before it has attained its full stage of ripeness. 
It is also very probable that, when exposed to dry in the sun and 
air after being cut, to a certain extent this change from starch to 
woody fibre takes place. Hence the more quickly the drying is 
effected, the less extensively will changes of this kind take place; 
and this shows the necessity of the hay being frequently turned 
during " saving," and being rapidly dried. 
28. Great quantities of bean-meal are used in some districts 
in the feeding of bacon-hogs, but it is found to make the flesh too 
firm for delicate porkers, and in the last stage of their fattening, 
barley-meal is substituted. The best kind of food for feeding 
pigs is a mixture of barley-meal, peas, and potatoes. Potatoes 
are frequently used by themselves for this purpose ; but neither 
the fat or muscle of pigs fed in this manner can be compared to 
corn and peas-fed pork — the fat having a tallowy appearance, and 
both fat and muscle shrinking, for want of firmness, when boiled. 
Potatoes will do very well for store pigs, but should never be 
depended upon for the " feeding." Some feeders reject the grey 
pea, from an idea that it partakes in a degree of the nature of 
the bean in rendering the meat tough and hard. The same 
effect is produced, although in a more considerable degree, in the 
feeding of pigs on the acorn, Avhich tends to render the meat firm 
and hard. This is owing to the astringent or tanin principle 
contained in the bean and acorn; vegetable astringents of all 
kinds are found to contract the muscular and vascular tissues, to 
diminish secretion, lessen irritability, and in many instances to. 
impart strength or increased tone to an organ or part. It is 
the tanin principle contained in beans which renders them so 
valuable a food for hard-working horses. The nutritious elements 
of beans and peas are nearly the same, yet the former add more 
materially to the vigour of horses than the latter. Our Saxon 
ancestors used to feed their swine on acorns, and set great value 
on them for tliis purpose ; and round the forests of England, 
it is still customary to drive the pigs in at the proper season, 
that they may feed on the acorns and the various kernels which 
fall from the trees. In Westphalia, the pig is turned into the 
oak-forest as soon as he is weaned, where he feeds, like the wild 
boar, upon acorns and roots of various vegetables ; the conse- 
quence of which is, the worms and slush of every description 
which he devours counteract the astringent or tanin principle of 
the acorn, and they thrive amazingly. When the farmers around 
the New Forest feed their swine with acorns in the stye, they 
invariably give other food mixed with them, such as wash, 
brewers' grains, potatoes, turnips, beet, and the refuse of the 
