= nets ea

546 SWINE.

are, in course, spaded, a business of no kind of danger in skilful hands, and with care taken, that the animal. be empty, and not hogging. It is best performed whilst the pigs are yet sucking. I am clear from observation,(having fattened hundreds of sows together), that it is to no farmer’s inte- rest to fatten them, as they always eat more meat than clean hogs of the same weight, and produce inferior flesh, in all respects. They pay best store- fed, and at the proper season, will be sold at a good price to the London feeders.

The rationale of p1c-FATTENING stands thus:— Milk and corn, the maximum both as to weight, flavour, and nutritive power in the flesh, other ar ticles may fatten, or may come in aid to corn, for that purpose, but the commodity will be deterio- rated in exact proportion; so that a man, fattening for his own consumption, and economically lower- ing the quality of the pig-meat, does precisely that of which we are all so fond, deceives himself. I have no sort of objection to any gentleman’s amus- ing himself, by making pork or bacon, with half corn and half potatoes; or even to his eating grass, clover, carrot, parsnip, or acorn-fed pork, pro- vided he can relish it. Feeding for market is a somewhat different affair; but then the superior weight of the corn, or milk-fed hogs, must be taken ‘nto the account, and therein consists the supe- riority of the country-meat, over that which 1s fed in town.

Barley, or oat-meal, with one-third of that of pease, make excellent pork, or bacon, next in goodness to the milk-fed. Pigs, at meal, must have plenty of water; and when gorged, and their

appe-

ate”