Fattening of Pigs. 
67 
maturity. In order to get this as well as thriftiness there is no 
doubt that a good first cross-bred pig will take a lot of beating, 
and there are few better crosses than that of a large white boar 
and a large black sow. The pigs come with plenty of length 
from the sire’s side, and the requisite quality from the dam’s, 
and they will mostly be all nearly white in colour, a feature 
which has been mentioned before as desirable. 
Much has been written by previous and more able authors 
as to the care and management of breeding sows to which I 
must refer my readers ; but from observations made by the 
writer himself he has come to the conclusion that nothing is so 
capable of success with sows as personal attention, and that 
nowhere are the results better than on the small holdings or 
with cottagers where the owner sees after the sow and her 
progeny himself. 
Fattening of Pigs. 
This question, like that of breeding, has two sides, the 
feeder’s aim being to produce a given weight of pork at the 
lowest possible cost, whilst the consumer requires that pork to 
be firm, not oily, with a good proportion of lean meat. In 
deciding, therefore, what advice to give to feeders as to the 
selection of a suitable feeding meal, reference must be made to 
the state of the trade of feeding stuffs and offals. Maize, 
although much spoken against by butchers, seems likely to 
remain for its cheapness and fat-producing qualities the main 
food of the porcine race. This, however, should never be in a 
greater proportion than one-half, and then not in hot weather, 
one-third being much better, the other two-thirds being barley 
or wheat (when the price of that commodity allows it), and peas, 
lentils, or gram, according to state of the market. Some part 
of the ingredients should be home-grown corn, as this adds 
sweetness and digestibility to the meal. Millers’ offals should 
be used for small pigs only, as they tend to make soft pork. 
Skim milk is supposed to improve the quality of pork, and is 
considered a very valuable article of food, but it is by no 
means a necessity, and in the author’s opinion should never be 
given to little pigs whilst on the sow, and it is an open question 
whether its value for larger ones has not been overrated. 
Fine meal is recommended as against whole corn feeding, as 
the animals can consume a largef- quantity at a time, and 
therefore do quicker, although the ultimate cost per pound 
of pork has been proved to be about the same. Either meal 
or corn should be well soaked in good water before use, and 
pigs should also always have a good supply of clean water by 
