THE HOG. 
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The young pigs should be gradually fed before permanently weaning 
them ; and for first food, nothing is so good as rnilk, which may be suc- 
ceeded by ordinary dairy wash, thickened with oat or barley-meal, or 
fine pollard ; this is better scalded, or, better still, boiled. To the sow, 
some dry food should be given once daily, which might consist of pease, 
beans, Swedish turnips, carrots, parsnips, or the like, either well boiled 
or raw ; but I prefer the food to be always boiled, or, what is still 
better, steamed. Some wean the pigs within a few hours after birth, 
and turn the sow at once to the boar.' Under certain circumstances, 
this may be found advantageous ; but I think that the best mode of 
management is to turn the boar into the hog-yard about a week after 
parturition, at which time it is proper to remove the sows for a few 
hours daily from their young, and let them accept his overtures when 
they please. It does not injure either the sow or her young if she 
take the boar while suckling, but some sows will not do so until the 
drying of their milk. 
Castration and Spaying should only be performed on such as you in- 
tend to keep, as you do not know what a purchaser’s wishes on the sub- 
ject might be. It is, of course, unnecessary for me to give any direc- 
tions as to the mode of performing this operation, as no amateur should 
attempt it; and men who make the practice their means of livelihood 
are, in every district, not difficult to be got at, or exorbitant in their 
terms. The sow is, if desirable, to be spayed while suckling; the boar, 
as we have already stated, may be castrated at any age with perfect 
safety. 
Ringing. — At weaning time, ring the young pigs. This operation 
must be a painful one, but scarcely so much so as the little sufferers 
would seem to indicate. Ringing is, however, absolutely necessary, un- 
less the cartilage of the nose be cut away, a practice resorted to in sub- 
stitution for it in some parts of England ; the latter practice is, however, 
far more cruel than ringing, and its efficacy is by many stated to be at 
the best questionable. 
After about five weeks’ high and careful feeding subsequent to wean- 
ing, the young pigs may be put up for stores, porkers, etc., according to 
your views respecting them. Very young pigs, immediately after being 
weaned, if fed on the refuse of a dairy, will be brought up for delicious 
pork in five or six weeks; for the last week prior to killing, the addition 
of grains or bruised corn will impart a degree of firmness to the flesh, 
that is considered an improvement. This is called “ dairy-fed pork,” 
and it never fails to fetch an enhanced price, thereby amply remuner- 
ating its producer. 
Hogs designed for pork should not be fattened to the same extent as 
those designed for bacon. We are aware that it will be vain for us to 
request the reader not to do so, as fat produces weight — weight, profit 
— and profit is the object of the feeder. But to those who feed for 
home consumption, we urge the suggestion, and they will find their 
account in following it. Porkers should be suffered to run at large. 
Grazing, or the run of a wood in which roots or nuts may be met with, 
is calculated in an eminent degree to improve the quality of their flesh. 
It will be necessary to give the hogs regular meals, independent of what 
