Domestic Animals

e thick-skinned animals, are in warm climates. They are most abundant in China, the East Indies, and the immense range of islands which extends over t

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of the general European wars, soon after the organization of our national government, it was a comparatively large article of commerce; but from that time, exports have not been justified to any extent, till within the last two years, since which, a material re

nection with a dairy or orchard, as with little additional food besides what is thus afforded, they can be put into good condition for the butcher. But it is on the rich bottoms and other lands of the West, where Indian corn is raised in profusion, and at small expense, that they can be reared in the greatest numbers and yield the largest profit. The Sciota, Miami, Wabash, Illinois, and

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ere are there better specimens than in many of their yards. This spirit has rapidly extended West and South; and among most of the intelligent farmers who make them a leading object of attention, on their rich corn grounds, swine have attained a high degree of e

that still maintain their ascendency in various parts of the European continent. This breed is nearly extinct, having been crossed successively by the Chinese and other good b

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mong the species generally. They are white, with fine curly hair, well made and compact, moder

, but they were dishonestly sold by the messenger in Maryland, in which state and Pennsylvania they were productive of much good at an early day, by their extensive distribution through different states. Several other importations of this breed have been made at various times, and especia

e particulars, and mature early on a moderate amount of food. The crosses with smaller compact breeds, are generally thrifty, desirable animals. Other large breeds deser

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European and American swine. They necessarily vary in appearance, size, shape, and color, fr

require to be mixed with larger breeds to produce the most profitable carcass for the market. For the purpose of refining the coarse breeds, no animal has ever been so successful as this. They are fine-bone

is not surprising that their descendants should rapidly assume distinct features. They furnish not only a strong dash of blood in the best class of large breeds, but in such of

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t, lower part of the legs, and tuft on the tail, buff. The latter color has given place, in most of the modern age, to white in the same parts. This variation, with the more import

r hands, and those of other skilful breeders, their merits were widely promulgated. No other breeds have been so extensively diffused in the United S

g; and some full-grown have dressed to more than 800 lbs. They particularly excel in their hams, which are

re under the necessity of importing most of what they use from Russia and northern Europe. This improvement is manifest not only in the hair, but in the skin, which is soft and mellow to t

edi

viduals, but such as are well descended, should be selected for the purpose of breeding. The sow should be in good condition, but not fat, nor approaching to it; and a pro

restlessness thereby produced may result in the loss of the pigs. The sow should be fed only with a small quantity of the lightest food or thin gruel, for two or three days, nor put on full feed for a week. If inclined to eat her pigs, she should be fed two or three times with raw pork or fresh meat. The pigs may be taught to crack oats or soaked corn after three weeks, and if provided with a trough inaccessible to

nt and F

tly simple. Those designed for breeding, should be kept in growing condition, on light food, and have every a

h till the second autumn. They are then put up to fatten, and in the course of 60 or 90 days are fed off and slaughtered. During this brief period, they gain from 50 to 100 per cent. more of dressed weight

ays old weighed 240, 250, and 257 lbs. net. Innumerable instances could be adduced of similar weights, gained within the same time, with a good breed of animals under judicious treatment. We have no one accurate account of the food consumed,

e. But the pig that matures and is slaughtered at 7 months, has only a moderate capacity for eating. During the early stages of his growth, his size and the consequent incapacity of the digestive organs, prevent the consumption of the same quantity which the larger animal requires; and his accumulating fat, his limited respiration, consequent upon the compression of his lungs, and his indisposition to exercise, all conspire to keep the consumption of food within the sma

onclusion, that by far the cheapest mode of wintering pigs is in the pork-barrel. We can readily anticipate one objection to this practice, which is the want of food at the requisite season of

onsume the grain at their leisure. They waste nothing except the stalks, which in that region of plenty are considered of little value, and they are still useful as manure for

f the money and cost of storage. If fattened early in the season, they will consume less food to make an equal amount of fles

se and the dairy, to which add meal, and sour in large tubs or barrels. Not less than one-third, and perhaps more, of the whole grain fed to swine, is saved by grinding and cooking or souring. Yet care must be observed that the souring be not carried so far as to

inous, and occurring when the sugar solution, or fermenting principle is weak, producing a slimy, glutinous product; the acetic, forming vinegar, from the vinous or alcoholic stage; and the putrefactive, which destroys all the nutritive principles and convert

Potatoes are the best roots for swine; then parsnips; orange or red carrots, white or Belgian; sugar beets; mangel-wurzel; ruta-bagas; and the white turnips, in the order mentioned. The nutritiv

perfect mastication, and consequent loss of the food. It is better indeed to have it always before them. The animal machine is an expensive one to keep

ble, to wallow in. This is one of the best preventives of vermin and cutaneous diseases. A hog ought to have three apartments, one each for sleeping, eating, and evacuations, of which the last may occupy the lowest, and the first the highest level, so that nothing shall be drained, and as little carried into the first t

ways acceptable to swine. When about to finish them off, many feed for a few weeks on hard corn. This is proper when slops or indifferent food has been given, and meal cannot be conveniently procured; but when fatt

far greater variety of preparation for the table, than any other flesh. From the remotest antiquity to the present time,

ly increased. At some of the large pork-packing depots of the West, one-third of the whole quantity has been thus disposed of

ottom. The remaining mass is bones and scraps. The last is fed to pigs, poultry, or dogs, or affords the best kind of manure. The bones are either used for manure, or are converted into animal charcoal, worth about three cents per pound, which is valuable for various purposes in the arts. When the object is to obtain lard of a fine quality, the a

separated, are solid, and used as inferior substitutes for wax or spermaceti candles. The other, oleine, is fluid at a low temperature, and in American comm

Hams an

l when filled. But it may be dry salted, by rubbing it in thoroughly on every side of each piece, with a strong leather rubber firmly secured to the palm of the right hand. The pieces are then th

nd Sho

rown sugar, with water enough to dissolve them. Bring the liquor to the scalding point, and skim off all the impurities which rise to the top. When cold, pour it upon the ham, which should be perfectly cool but not frozen, and clos

not be near enough to heat the hams. In Holland and Westphalia, the fire is made in the cellar, and the smoke carried by a flue into a cool, dry chamber. This is undoubtedly the best method of s

ver for each, saturated with lime, which may be put on with a whitewash brush, is a perfect protection against flies. When not to be kep

ES OF

omnivorous propensities, and the general physiological structure of the hog and the bear, more nearly resemble man, than any other anim

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of the back.-K Vertebr? lumborum, vel lumbales; the vertebr? of the loins.-L Ossa coccygis; the bones of the tail.-a Scapula; the shoulder-blade.-b Humerus; the round shoulder-bone.-c Sternum; the breastbone.-d Ulna; the elbow.-e Radius; the bone of the fore-arm.-f Os naviculare: the navicular bone.-g Phalanges vel ossa pedis; the first and second bones of the foot.-h Phalanges, vel ossa pedis; t

ions, Colds, Cou

little external covering to protect him against cold. Nature has provided this immediately within the skin, in the deep layer of fat which surrounds the full, plump hog. Fat is one of the best non-conductors of heat, and the pig which is well-fed bids defiance to the intense cold, wh

, after which give gentle purges of castor oil, or Epsom salts; and this should be f

etite, sulphur is an excellent

ts of lard and brimstone. Rubbing-posts, and

loins and hind legs, usually followed by entire prostration. A pig thus f

eir food. A small quantity of saltpetre, spirits of turpentine, or tar, will effect the same object. When attacked, apply spirits

Stag

eth, and apparent blindness. The proper remedies are bleeding and purging freely, and these frequently fail. Many nostrums have been suggest

oss of the member. The remedies are, to give a little brimstone or sulphur in the food of the dam; or rub oil or grease dai

side of the fore-arm. It may be drawn more copiously from the roof of the mouth. The

been the subject of particular scientific study, and most of the remedies applied, are rather the result of