Farmers' Gazette, And Cheraw Advertiser

From the Southern Planter.

BERKSHIRES.

Mr. Robinson, who is not less remarkable for his practical common sense than for the forcible quaintness of his style, gives the following excellent advice to the breeders of Berkshires:

"Experience is an excellent teacher—as I have been taught a little I will impart it to others engaged in breeding pigs. Great care is necessary with this breed to guard against the temptation to use them too young. They are so large and fine at eight or ten months, that many suppose they are plenty big enough to breed. It is a great mistake. The boar should scarcely be used until twelve months old, and then but sparingly until eighteen. A sow should never be allowed to have pigs until a year old, and then only in warm weather—and it would be better that they were sixteen months old—nature cannot be forced with impunity. The period of gestation in a sow is exactly sixteen weeks. Now of my experience—I had two sows last fall on the passage from Albany, got with pig at about four months old. On the first day of January, one of the coldest season, one dropped seven and the other two, and as the sows had little or no milk, and were too young to mind their pigs, all died in spite of all that human care could do.

"Yesterday, another sow, just one year old, dropped eight pigs. She is one of the kindest most careful, and sensible hogs I ever saw; and as the weather is warm, are all as lively as could be wished. It is characteristic of Berkshires, that they are great breeders, and fine milkers but do not be tempted to use them too young. But above all things, do not be tempted to do without them."

SOLON ROBINSON
Lake C. H., Ia., April 2.