OF SCOTLAND.

215

PART IV.

SWINE *.

The great recommendation of this species of animals is,that they can subsist on food that would otherwise in a greatmeasure be lost; they attain a moderate degree of fatness oilthe offals of the kitchen, barn, stable and straw-yard, withvery little attention from their owners; and when regularlyserved with the refuse of corn-mills, dairies, breweries anddistilleries, they return a greater weight of meat, for the foodthey consume, than any other of the domesticated animals.Besides, there is little capital required for a stock of swine;and if they are not bred in too great numbers, the profits arecertain, and very speedily obtained.

Notwithstanding this, swine till very lately engaged littleof the attention of the farmers of Scotland . A superstitiousprejudice opposed the general use of their flesh; and their fil-thy habits, and unmanageable propensities to break throughfences, and to seize upon almost every sort, of animal and vege-table substance, rendered them the constant object of persecu-tion. They are also so prolific, that they may be soon bred insuch numbers, as to reduce the value of their flesh much belowthat of other kinds of live-stock,—so much so indeed, that inyears when grain and potatoes have been scarce and dear,pigs, that at another time would have sold for a guinea a-

* The common name of the male of this species is Soar, and of the femaleS:)ir. Pigs after being weaned are frequently called Shots in Scotland . In someparts of England, the general name is Hog . Pig is the common appellation forthe young while they suck, and in some places for all ages, Swine is the mostusual term in Scotland for the whole species.