SIXTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VIII. 659 



time ago we pointed out the lack of the supply of fresh meats throughout 

 the year, and suggested the means by which the deficiency might be over- 

 come. In addition to this variety may be added. Bacon can be made 

 one of the means for obtaining this end. , 



For generations the southern farmer has been noted for his bacon. 

 With him it has been one of the staple products of the farm from the 

 standpoint of home consumption. Doubtless the fact that the south has 

 been a producer of the type of hog most resembling the bacon producer 

 rather than the lard hogs has been largely accountable for his fact, while 

 the corn belt farmer and his emmense supplies of corn and the subse- 

 quent fat porker has been inclined to ignore the luxury of home-made 

 bacon. 



NECESSARY COST IS SLIGHT. 



In most cases the lack of home-made bacon is due largely to the fact 

 that the farmer does not understand the means of making it. As a mat- 

 ter of fact the necessary extra cost over and above the preparation of 

 other meats is not great. On most farms there is the smoke house that 

 has been used for years in the final curving of the hams and shoulders. 

 This same house can be used to an equally good advantage in the curving 

 of the season's supply of bacon. Really, all of the necessary additional 

 cost of curving becon over that of hams would be in the case of the pur- 

 chase as a pickle pump, but this outlay is so small that the cost is little as 

 compared with the possible comforts that might be derived from a well 

 curved bacon supply. 



In treatment some different plans must be made from what are usually 

 followed in the case of curing smoked hams and shoulders. Bacon cur 

 ing is an art of itself which admits of a degree of perfection that is 

 probably not surpassed in the curving of any other class of meats. In 

 Great Britain they have what is generally termed the "Wiltshire bacon. 

 This system has been gradually developed until the bacon thus produced 

 has attained quite an international popularity. From the fact that the 

 quality of bacon produced is of high grade it is commended to those who 

 are desirious of curing their own supply. 



CURING BY WILTSHIRE METHODS. 



The first step in preparing the sides for the pickling which obviously 

 precedes the smoking, is to cut down the sides and neatly trim them for 

 the pickling. Writing to the Farmer and Stock Breeder's Year Book for 

 1904 of Great Britain, Loudon M. Douglass gives some important sugges- 

 tions that will be valuable to the man who is attempting to cure bacon. 

 While 'Mr. Douglass' plan in its entirety demands that there should be a 

 suitable slaughter house with the necessary appliance. Including chill- 

 room, storeroom and a lard houee, there are, none the less, some hints 

 that will be useful to the farmer who is without the means of supplying 

 all of the useful through not nceessary devices. 



