218 
Pi(j!< : tlicir Breeding and Management. 
more particularly Iroin the time when he is first used, inas- 
iTiuch as liis future temperament, whether kindly or ferocious, 
will depend very much upon the management and treatment he 
receives at this period. There should be firmness tempered 
with kindness ; for these animals, from their nature often become 
unmanageable, if not dangerous, unless treated in a manner 
which common sense ought to dictate. 
The young boars should be separated from the sows when 
three months old ; from that age until they are fit for use, which 
I consider is not before they are eight or nine months old, they 
may lie together in pens of four, five, or six, according to their 
age and the size of the sty. After I have selected a boar which 
is to be used in the herd, he is from that period kept separate 
in order to avoid excitement. Until the boars reach the age 
of eight or nine months, their food is the same as that given 
to other young pigs : when in use as stock pigs, to their 
usual soft food is added a small quantity — say a pint twice 
a day — of whole corn, maize, beans, wheat, and barley mixed — 
soaked or boiled : in addition, a small quantity of green 
food or roots is given, according to the season of the year. 
As it is difficult to provide for yard-exercise where a number of 
stock-boars are kept, they are placed in sties sufficiently large to 
give them as much exercise as they need. Boars under nine 
months old have a regular turn of yard-exercise each day. The 
question of exercise for young boars is a very important one, 
as of course nothing will so much conduce to the development 
of their legs and feet, which, as already stated, are such im- 
portant organs in the male animal. The practice of sawing off 
the tusks of old boars has been advocated by some, but I have 
always adopted the following method : — if necessary, the head 
of the boar should be secured, the tusk should be held tightly at 
the point to be broken oft with a pair of blacksmith's pincers ; a 
smart blow with a hammer on the pincers will sever the tusk 
without further trouble. 
When a boar is needed to serve a sow, it is very desirable 
that he should be taken to a yard at a distance from any other 
boars, and some little time allowed to elapse before taking him 
back again. This plan will prevent the unsettling of the 
other boars. 
I need hardly say that in the proper management of pigs as 
well as other animals, the success achieved very much depends 
upon attendants ; the plan, therefore, of giving bonuses to the 
herdman is not without its advantages. A common practice is 
to give sixpence each for every three-months-old pig reared. 
With respect to judging the age of pigs, much may be said 
in commendation of the Essay of Professor Simonds. He has 
