214 
DOMESTIC ANIMALS. 
of March, and July or August. A litter obtained later than August 
has much to contend with, and seldom proves profitable ; some, indeed, 
state that when such an occurrence does take place, whether from acci- 
dent or neglect, the litter is not worth keeping. It is little use, how- 
ever, to throw any thing away. Should the reader at any time have a 
late litter, let him leave them with the sow ; feed both her and them 
with warm and stimulating food, and he will thus have excellent pork, 
with which to meet the market, when that article is at once scarce and 
dear, and consequently profitable. By following this system of manage- 
ment, he will not only turn his late litter to account, but actually realize 
most as good a profit as if it had been produced at a favorable season. 
The period of gestation in the sow varies ; the most usual period 
during which she carries her young, is four lunar months, or sixteen 
weeks, or about one hundred and thirteen days. M. Teissieur, of Paris, 
a gentleman who paid much attention to this subject, in connection not 
merely with swine, but other animals, states that it varies from one 
hundred and nine to one hundred and forty-three days; he formed his 
calculation from the attentive observation of twenty-five sows. 
The sow produces from eight to thirteen young ones at a litter, some- 
times even more. Extraordinary fecundity, is, however, not desirable, 
for a sow cannot give nourishment to more young than she has teats 
for, and, as the number of teats is twelve, when a thirteenth one is lit- 
tered, he does not fare very well. The sufferer on these occasions is of 
course the smallest and weakest; a too numerous litter are all indeed 
generally undersized and weakly, and seldom or never prove profitable ; 
a litter not exceeding ten, will, usually, be found to turn out most ad- 
vantageously. On account of the discrepancy subsisting between the 
number farrowed by different sows, it is a good plan, if it can be man- 
aged, to have more than one breeding at the same time, in ordei 
that you may equalize the number to be suckled by each. The sow 
seldom recognizes the presence of a strange little one, if it has been 
introduced among the others during her absence, and has lain for half 
an hour or so among her own offspring in their sty. 
While the sow is carrying her young, feed her abundantly, and in- 
crease the quantity until parturition approaches within a week or so, 
when it is as well to diminish both the quantity and quality. While 
she gives suck you cannot feed her too well. You may wean the young 
at eight weeks old, and should remove them for that purpose from the 
sow; feed them well, frequently, abundantly, but not to leaving, and on 
moist, nutritious food, and pay particular attention to their lodgment — 
a warm, dry, comfortable bed is of fully as much consequence as feed- 
ing, if not even of more. Should the sow exhibit any tendency to de- 
vour its young, or should she have done so on a former occasion, strap 
up her mouth for the first three or four days, only releasing it to admit 
of her taking her meals. Some sows are apt to lie upon, and crush 
their young. This may be best avoided by not keeping the sow too fat 
or heavy, and by not leaving too many young upon her. Let the straw 
forming the bed also be short, and not in too great quantity, lest the 
pigs get huddled up under it, and the sow unconsciously overlie them in 
that condition. 
