Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1859-04-28
;farm&t s 9epmtment:
d. From Che American Stock Journal
FATPENING SWINE.

From Che American Stock Journal
L.. FATFENING SWINE.
The chief end Of swine is fatress-the
great, object of his life, to become pork
Hence, the best means of bringing the hog
into fit state for the pork barrel, &C., is an
object occupying the thoughts of our farm
ing readers, and worthy. of some description
in our, columns. We do not propose to throw
much new light on the question but to re-
state facts more generally known than paae-
ticed upon by pork. k.growers..s "
That pork occupies prominent position
among the products'of the country, Isl shown
both by commercial statistics and the late
census--the number of swine in the United
States numbering over one-fourth more than
| either sheep or cattle. For domestic con-
| sumption with the farmer and laborins man,
t fills an important place among the ,progls,
ions secured. It is the great stand-by;to be
depended upon when other meats ,fail--and,
keeping long and we'll, and possessing the
material for cooking itself, as we'll as por-
tion of the vegetable accoihpaniments, 1t Will
ever retain'its place where economy is stu
died, and hearty, strepgth5'ssustaihing food Is
In the country and small villages, many
families keep one or more pigs, for the pur'
pose of consuming the elops of the kitchen,
the refuse fruits, and vegetables from the Or
chard and garden, and to furnish, after some
weeks of high feeding in the Fall, supply
of meat for family use. This is true ecouo-
my, where it may be practiced;' for much
| upon which swine viii thrive will otherwise
be wasted from, every garden and kitchen:
The expense of finishing the fattening will
be small, as few, bushels Of corn, rye, or
barley meal, mixed With sour milk, or used
for thickening a mush Of boiled small potaI-
toes, pumpkins, squashes, apples, and the
like, will make air'article Of pork.
Most large farmers keep from six to TWEEN
ty or more swine, to turn into marketable
commodity those products not otherwise to
Be acashed," and also TO consume more or
less of the corn crop. The slops of the dairy,
the refuse fruit, roots, and vegetables, are
thus used up, if not at high rate Of profit,
still at remuperatiye one, all things con-
sidered. -" -.
! 20 fatten swine pro6ta6ly, it is important
to commence early iu the Autumn, not only
to consume the material above named, but
for the reason that mild weather is much
more favorable to taking on flesh than that
of severer character. In very cold wealth
or, considerable food is required for the.'sole
purpose of keeping up the animal heat, and
the less need Of expenditure in this respect,
the more rapidly will flesh be accumulated.
1t is we'll, therefore, not only to begin early,
but to provide warm shelter and comfortable,
feeding. places: A good pen is q matter OF
economy, for a discontented, restiVe animal
will never fatten we'll, though there may be
small lack in the. eating power at any time
Proper sleeping apartments; dry, we'll litter
ed and we'll ventilated, are also requisite
Pure air, it should ever be remembered, is
ofimportance to every animal that breathes
Experiments unite iu showing the Import
ancc of cooking for swine. Stevens remarks
in Tile Book of.Me Farm, that "it has been
ascertained that pigs fatten Smuch faster and
Better on cooked than raw food. This be-
ing the case, it is only waste of time and
material, to atteupt,to' .tattew. pigs on raw
food Of whatever, kind; for, though some
sorts Of food fattel better than others ip the
same state, yet the same sort, when cooked,
fattens much better thai, in raw STATE
This is especially, the case with the various
fruits and vegetables; grain ground and
slightly fermented, is thought by some ex-
perimenters. to be equal to meal in cooked
! state. It may be that it is better relished,
and hence more:is consumed, and it may DC
as we'll to remark that. the management ln
feeding which tends tothe largest consump-
ton of food, without injury 10 the health OF
the animal, is generally the most economical:
The comparative value of different grains
for fatteuipg pork has not been 50 closely
tested as IS desirable, but, without question,
Indian corn stands first on the list. Bye and
barley come next-and late researches, as
well as experiments by. practical farmers,
give the latter grain more prominent po'
sition than it has heretoforeheld in this res
pect-. We have made considerable use OF
barley meal for feeding purposes, the past
wear, and are so we'll satisfied, that we shall
use it more largely in future. We would
suggest to farmers its employment for early
T feeding, before the -corn>crop natures, be-
clieviug they will find it profitable to do So
In regard to feeding, it is important to
supply hogs, aud all .fattening animals, with
just as much as they will consume without
wasting, either by leaving, or.by imperfect
digestion. If no more is given than just
enough to support the natural growth, no
fat can be accumulated. To give them as
much as they can use, and no more, is the
true economy; for, as above hinted, the
quicker the fatteniug process can be, proper
ly performed, the less the expense in care
and material.