474 MODERN FARRIER. 



but milk and whey, or barley-meal, with an allow- 

 ance of peas and beans, for a few weeks before they 

 are killed, constitute the chief articles of food given 

 to fattening hogs on all dairy farms. And it is 

 added that very great numbers of hogs are annually 

 fattened at the distilleries in the various parts of the 

 kingdom. It is stated in the Report of the County 

 of Surrey, that between nine and ten thousand are 

 fattened on the grains, wash, and other offals of three 

 distilleries only in that district. 



27. Curing Swine's Flesh. 



It may be noticed, that in different districts there 

 are different modes of curing the flesh of swine, ac- 

 cording to the intention for which it is wanted. In 

 the county of Kent, when cured as bacon, it is the 

 practice to singe off the hairs, by making a straw 

 fire round tlie hog, an operation which is termed 

 swaling. The skin, in this process, should be kept 

 perfectly free from dirt of all sorts. When the 

 flitches are cut out, they should be rubbed effec- 

 tually with a mixture of common salt and saltpetre, 

 and afterwards laid in a trough, where they are to 

 continue three weeks or a month, according to their 

 size, keeping them frequently turned ; and then, 

 being taken out of the trough, are to be dried by a 

 slack fire, which will take up an equal portion of 

 time with the former ; after which, they are to be 

 hanged up, or thrown upon a rack, there to remain 

 till wanted. But in curing bacon on the continent, 

 it is mostly the custom to have closets contrived in 

 the chimnies, for the purpose of drying and smoking 

 them by means of wood fires, which is said to be 

 more proper for the purpose. And a more usual 

 niode of curing this sort of meat is that of salting it 

 down for pickled pork, which is far more profitable 

 than bacon. In this method after the hog is cleaned 

 of the hair, and the head taken off, together with 



