Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1880-02-06
ONT PHOENIX, BRATTLEBORO FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 1890
The vIrsrer'. 1.ig...IIow TO Keep II,

The villagers T'ig---IHOw 60 Keep Nc.
large number of our village subscribers
keep q COW and one or more pigs, Just to save
the waste from the table, and to help in the
support of the family. Both are important
sources Of income when properly managed.
The inevitable waste from the kitchen in an
ordinary American family amounts TO good
deal in the course of year. 1t may as well
be turned into pork, sausagcs head cheese,
spare ribs, and lard, as to be thrown away.
A neighbor, who has a vegetable garden, aud
studies thrift, has Just slaughtered two pigs,
weighing 59S pounds, and worth $685. at
the market price. The manure made from
them is worth ten dollars at least Two small
pigs were put into the pen April 9th, and
came out well fattened November DIST, about
seven months and half The food consum-
ed consisted mainly of sour, and buttermilk,
kitchen waste, small potatoes, cabbage, tur-
nips sweet corn, windfall apples, and other
wastes from the garden To this was added
enough Indian meal TO keep them constant
ly full fed from spring TO fall A good pen
is an important item in feeding pigs. The
sleeping apartment should be dry, and be
kept well Uttered with straw, leaves, or sea
weed. From one-half to two-thirds of pigs
life is to be spent in sleep, If it is well treat
ed. Give the pig the materials, and he will
make nice bed and keep il clean The re-
mander of the sty is of less importance.
There should be room enough to compost the
manure, liquid and solid, with garden soil,
corn stalks weeds, and other refuse matter
The pig is unrivalled as n manufacturer of
compost It's good effects will be seen in all
parts of the garden, where it is spread the
following season. Regularity of feeding,
three times day, is one of the secrets of sue
cess. This may be at your own meal times,
if your wife is good housekeeper and keeps
a clock in the kitchen. Good digestion de-
ponds upon REGULAR meal hours for man and
beast. There is then very little temptation to
over eating, no cloying and no spells of re-
fusing food. A pig should never lose a meal
after he is put into the pen, and should new
or be hungry enough TO squeal. 1t requires
some judgment in equalizing the rations, as
well as in regulating their time. Much less
of Indian meal is required for a ration, than
of cooked potatoes, and less of potatoes than
of kitchen waste. If anything is left in the
feed trough, the ration has been little too
large, or not quite good enough. A pig
should have all he can eat up and digest. A
variety of food should also receive attention.
The raw vegetables and fruits from the gar
den are excellent appetizers, and enables the
pig to consume more meal. The meal may
be mixed with cold or boiling water, with
milk, or boiled fruits and vegetables, as suits
convenience. 1t may be varied with un-
ground corn, buckwheat or a mixture of
ground grains. The time spent in..caring for
a pig usually comes at meal hours, and may
be balanced by what we learn in the school
of economy. There is perhaps no animal
that will exhibit more satisfaction, and give
greater returns for good care and feeding
than a pig and on the other hand a hungry
one without n warm home-one that has not
had proper bringing up-can make itself
exceedingly disagreeable. both as to general
appearance and the noise that it will produce
besides, such an animal is without profit As
a rule, it pays the villager to raise his own
pork, and it pays him the greatest profit
when be takes the best care of his pig -Ag-
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