314 REPORT ON THE AGRICULTURE OF DUMFRIESSHIRE. 



windows of provision shops in Glasgow and several other large 

 towns than those with " Dumfriesshire Hams," " Dumfriesshire 

 Bacon/' upon them. A pretty accurate estimate of the quantity 

 produced in the different counties of Scotland may he formed 

 from the agricultural statistics collected by the Inland Eevenue. 

 It seems there were the large number of 18,612 pigs within the 

 county on the 5th March 1866, being nearly 1000 more than in 

 any other county in Scotland, the next largest being Perth, which 

 had 17,782 within its bounds. In estimating the quantity 

 produced annually in Dumfriesshire, there must be added 

 to the above upwards of 4000 which are pigged between the 

 beginning of March and the middle of June, and fattened before 

 the succeeding March. Thus the number of pigs fattened in 

 the county, in the average of seasons, may be correctly enough 

 reckoned at about 22,000 head, which, if computed at fourteen 

 stones each and valued at 6s. 6d. per stone, would yield a little 

 over L.100,000. The reporter has compared the foregoing cal- 

 culation with the annual estimate, founded on a summation of 

 the quantity sold weekly during the curing season in the different 

 markets, which the "Dumfries Courier" has made of the pork trade 

 of the county for a series of years, and has found that the agree- 

 ment between them is pretty close. Dr Singer estimated the 

 number fed in Dumfriesshire in 1812 at 13,000, and he reckoned 

 the annual return from this source over the whole county as 

 amounting to about L.60,000. 



A trade in fresh pork has arisen in Dumfriesshire almost 

 entirely within the last eight or ten years. There has never 

 been much demand for fresh pork for consumption in the county, 

 and therefore pigs were seldom brought to maturity except during 

 the winter months, when they could be cured and forwarded in a 

 dry state to the large towns. But since the Caledonian and the 

 Glasgow & South-Western Eailways traversed the county, and 

 opened up a cheap and speedy transit to the populous mining 

 and manufacturing towns in the north of England, the demand 

 has created the supply, and large numbers of live pigs, varying 

 in weight from seven to fifteen stones each, the greater number 

 being nine and ten stones, are now forwarded every summer 

 to Newcastle, Liverpool, Manchester, Preston, and elsewhere. 

 These are principally from the dairies, and they are mainly fed 

 on the whey, which proves itself most nutritious and fattening. 

 But while it is true that the pigs which are sold during summer 

 as fresh pork are principally from the dairies, it ought also to be 

 mentioned that not a few of them are animals fed by cottars, 

 especial] y in middle and upper Annandale. It appears to the 

 reporter that the opening of the trade in fresh pork is highly 

 beneficial to this class. The fact that they can dispose of their 

 pigs during summer as well as in winter acts as an inducement 



