November 27. 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
133 
ami laid in some dry place, so much the better, it is hardly 
necessary for the place to be light now, as growth will 
have ceased. The same may be said of Celery that may 
be wanted daily. Examine all crops now forcing; see that 
the Sea-hale does not get scalded, and look to Rhubarb, 
Asparagus, Mushrooms, &c., not forgetting the more deli¬ 
cate articles, Cucumbers and French Beans, which, at 
this untoward season, require especial care. Advance 
all outward works in accordance with the weather ; when 
frosty, wheel dung, and other composts, and when damp 
the various heaps will most likely want doing up, and all 
disorderly or neglected corners putting to rights, as by a 
judicious disposal of time many things may be done now 
which, if left, would embarrass a more busy season. As 
soon as all leaves of the fruit trees and others in the 
vicinity of the garden are fallen, let every place have a 
general cleaning up, and it will remain tidy a great part 
of the winter. J. K. 
MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION. 
ALLOTMENT FAltMIN Gt — December. 
During the last few months, we have had several inqui¬ 
ries (apparently from our suburban friends) as to the best 
appropriation of one or two acres of ground, and the keep¬ 
ing of pigs, by persons of the middle class of society ; and 
as there is little to say now in addition to last month’s 
remarks, to the mere cottager, we will try to examine this 
question, at least as to ft few of its main features. 
A few extracts from a letter recently received from “A. B., 
of Liverpool,” will pretty well show forth the aims of this cla>ss 
of applicants. In alluding to Mr. Sillet’s pamphlet, reviewed 
in a former page of this work, he says, “ I am of opinion 
with him, that pigs are more profitable than cows cm such a 
limited piece of ground as he possesses, two acres ; and that 
with judicious cropping, management, Ac., a good number 
of pigs can be fed and fattened for the market on one acre 
of land.” The next extract amounts to this :—“ Do you 
think that on this last-named quantity, sufficient vegetable 
food, such as swedes, carrots, mangold, parsnips, cabbages, 
beans, peas, Ac., could be raised, so as to enable one to vary 
their food; on which, with the purchase of meal, barley, Ac., 
to rear and fatten thirty or forty pigs (as porkers or bacon 
hogs) in the year?” Again:—“Would you recommend in 
keeping so many, to keep a boar and a couple of breeding sows, 
or to purchase young pigs, at, say three or four months old,” Ac. 
Now this opens up altogether a vide question, and we 
must confess that it is rather difficult, in the present state 
of matters, to throw a clear light upon it. Many misconcep¬ 
tions exist as to the relative inherent degrees of productive¬ 
ness of various soils. One man, upon a picked piece, and by 
the application of every appliance, stimulants, Ac., which 
science or ingenuity can suggest, manages to produce some 
forty to fifty tons of mangold on a statute acre, or his thirty 
tons of the swede. He forthwith writes a flaming pamphlet, 
showing that the rest of mankind are half a century behind. 
Scores of other people instantly take up the subject, and 
being in possession of their acre too, why not attempt it? 
for, according to the old saying, “ what has been done, can 
be done again.” But, alas, too many of the imitators have 
neither the texture, depth, condition, quality of soil, or skill, 
which the first experimenter possessed; and the conse¬ 
quence naturally is, a partial failure; and this, after other 
attempts, not unfrequently ends in a kind of antipathy to 
any advance. Thus are the solid facts of the case preju¬ 
diced or lost sight of. 
We earnestly protest, however, against being thought 
desirous of cooling the ardour of those who would fain 
advance with the rest of society; advance both can and will 
be made as long as time endureth. We would merely cau¬ 
tion those entering such interesting speculations, for such 
they may be fairly termed, from starting at too great a speed, 
and thus falling short at the other end. Neither in alluding 
to pamphleteers, is anything directed against any one in par- j 
ticular; for to tell the simple truth, we have not any one in 
our mind’s eye at present. 
And now to the point —Pigs more profitable than Cows on 
a limited plot .—As for tliis, we do not suppose that any one 
would think of keeping cows on such a plot without pigs. 
Tn our opinion, if any two kinds of animals are more fitted 
to class together for economic purposes than others, it is the 
cow and the pig. By careful management, the swine may 
be made to eat the cow’s leavings, for there is generally some 
refuse too good to waste. And again, to what better purpose 
can the ordinary swill from churnings, Ac., be applied, or 
what better as part diet for the pigs? Moreover, we hold it 
as good doctrine, that when a variety of crops is to be grown, 
the midden cannot contain too great a variety of manurial 
matters. However, the question of labour, or convenience, i 
may press on this portion of the subject, and that will at ! 
once alter its phase. 
There are three or four distinct classes of pig feeders, 
each of which pursues a different economy, based either on 
their respective views of pig management, or on circum¬ 
stances over which they possess but little control. These 
are, the amateur’s class, the farmer’s, and the cottager’s. By 
amateur, is intended that class which live for the most part 
in little villas, or small houses, generally near a town ; per¬ 
sons, for the most part, living pretty well at ease; and it need 
scarcely be observed, that from a well-stocked larder proceeds 
a very superior “ swill ” for the pig. The ordinary farmer, 
of course, for the most part, keeps some cows; lie grows 
root crops for stock in general, and has frequently some in¬ 
ferior samples of grain unfit for market, which may bring an 
extra allowance to the swine. As for the cottager, his wife 
makes up by indefatigable attention, what is wanting in rich¬ 
ness of food, and, in this part of the country at least, takes 
care that what meat she does possess is given cooked and 
warm. All her potato parings, and those of other roots, are 
most assiduously collected, and some equivalent is given to 
neighbours, who do not keep a pig, for what they can scrape 
together of similar materials. The cottage “ swill,” too, a 
material not so rich by any means as turtle soup at a city 
dinner, is strictly preserved; and, added to this, a warm and 
dry bed; the last item by far more sedulously attended to 
than by the farmer, although the latter is so much richer in 
material, with a midden depending on its liberal use. 
There are those who feed pigs systematically for market, 
in numerous quantities, without possessing much land ; and 
from such our correspondent, “ A. B., of Liverpool,” might 
get a valuable lesson. 
In casting the eye over these classes, and the means 
within reach of each of them, we think it trill be seen at a 
glimpse that the farmer has the most means within bis 
reach ; and we do think, that whatever be the result of pig¬ 
feeding as earned out by the farmer, he is in a position to 
produce pork, or bacon, some twenty iter cent, cheaper than 
the other classes. Be it remembered, too, that the grunting 
tribe are amongst the best manure makers we possess; and 
surely nobody will gainsay the idea that much profit attaches 
to the making of manure, whether used on the spot or not, 
especially if the swine proprietor has land. 
We must come now to our correspondent’s inquiry, as to 
whether thirty or forty porkers, or bacon hogs, can be reared 
and fattened on a statute acre of land? This is put so 
loosely, and so much in the lump (if we may use the term), 
that we answer, at once, yes, on a quarter that extent, if you | 
are prepared to run up a heavy account with your miller. | 
This correspondent’s meaning, no doubt, is, how much swine ! 
will an acre of roots, Ac., sustabi, using, in addition, as much 
meal as will best subserve the end in view. This question 
assumes a more tangible form, and the first thing to be as¬ 
certained is, what amount, as a good fair average, may be 
expected of our chief roots by a high system of culture. We 
think that they may be put, for argument’s sake, as follows:— 
Mangold, good deep soil, high cultured .. 35 tons. 
Swedes „ „ . . 30 „ 
Norfolk Turnips „ .. 35 „ 
Parsnips „ „ . . 20 „ 
Carrots „ „ .. 25 „ 
