Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1875-10-07
MANAGEMENT OF SWINE.

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the poor man. If any system of breeding and
feeding will largely increase his weight and
improve the quality of his flesh, at given
age, then it follows that such plan will
confer an immense benefit on large mum.
Der of farmers-it being taken for granted
that many are willing to acknowledge them
selves as belonging to the class conventionally
called poor.
The question that naturally arises is, How
can this great gain be obtained? In reply it
may be said, first, by correct breeding second,
by judicious rearing third, by common sense
management. A SOW that has been kept on
weak dish-water and potato skins all her life,
cannot produce large pigs, or such as will be
fit for pork at an early age. Some people
imagine that by keeping their breeding sows
in a halfstarved condition, they improve
the sucking characteristics of the animal:
This is one of the many rural notions that fall
under the general name of "humbug The
facts are, the cause is mistaken for the result.
A SOW often gets very thin while the pigs
are on her, but it is very grave error to
keep her in such a condition, with the idea
of thus improving her breeding qualities.
In raising thoroughbred pigs, or even cross
es, it is an object of much moment to get such
breed as will grow rapidly and mature early.
For length and depth of body, small head,
thin skin and small bones, there are several
breeds recommended. In this vicinity, the
Yorkshire and White Chester stand high in
other parts the Essex and Berkshire take the
lead. The hog with long snout, and head mar
row between the eyes, is almost invariably a
poor, restless, voracious, squealing animal.
But what shall be said in reference to many,
very many, of the hog pens in this country
The very name is suggestive of all that is re-
pulsive, and has almost become synonymous
with all that is filthy, foul, dirty, nauseous,
disgusting and sickening The bare thought
of some of these enclosures (often within nose
range of the kitchen or dining ROOM is enough
to turn the stomach of city scavenger and
yet, in many Of these very hog-pens is made
and kept an article of food, the value of
which, raised annually in the United States,
is about one hundred and thirty-nine millions
of dollars. Especially do we Yankees need
scolding on this subject, for very large por.
ton of our pork goes through from six to
twelve months Of live saturation ESQ to speak
in all that is filthy and malarious, causing the
animal to be unhealthy, and unwholesome,
and his flesh unfit for human food.
Pigs should always be supplied with pure
water, even though they have large quantities
of slops. They also need fresh air and plenty
of sunlight, and if in order to obtain these for
part of the season, they do eat few wind
fall apples, no harm will be done, but posi-
tive advantage gained. No one kind of food
is suitable for pigs as continuous diet
Among many other kinds, sweet apples are
excellent. Nearly all kinds of food are bet
ter cooked than raw, and should be given
warm in the winter. The best of roots arc
the beet and sweet German turnip. Sucking
pigs should always be furnished with trough
separate from their mother, in which they
should be fed after they are two weeks old
For fattening hogs, potatoes washed clean
and cooked, mashed up with meal, makes
harder and better pork than clear meal OF
either corn, rye, peas or barley.
Toprevent sows from lying on their young
pigs, take a two.inch auger and bore a hole
twelve inches from the wall on each end, and
ten inches from the floor, insert strong pole
about two and one-half or three inches thick
showing down each end 80 that it fits tight, al
the SOW will invariably try to take it out Of
her way in making her he'd. 1t should be
fastened in so she cannot move it, and she
will make her bed against the pole, it being
the nearest she can get to the wall, and dc
you be sure that the space is not packed full
of straws on or about the time she has hel
pigs, so that the pigs when farrowed can have
room to walk around their mother and moi
get overlaid. The pigs will soon learn to nes
tie in this place, and feel secure from harm
The pen forsows to farrow in is generally eight
feet by twelve. This arrangement, wher
carried out, would save large percentage ot
young pigs to the farmer.-Cor. Maine Far
mer.