358 PIGS 



has been a run upon small-sized cattle and small-sized sheep. 

 Carcases of moderate dimensions are no doubt more easily 

 manipulated, and more easily disposed of in a limited 

 business, or to people with small families ; but there is no 

 question that for excellence of quality, the flesh of a pig 

 weighing 20 stones is much finer and more mature for the 

 purpose of making into bacon than one of half the weight. A 

 large proportion of the pork now consumed is eaten fresh, 

 or made into sausages. 



Rolled bacon is a product of the south of Scotland 

 coming into favour in the larger centres of population 

 Glasgow, Edinburgh, and Leith and superseding the dry 

 salted article. It is not yet in much demand in England. 

 It was made in a small way in Ayrshire about the beginning 

 of the last quarter of last century. The practice extended to 

 Lanarkshire, and began to expand rapidly in the nineties. It 

 came to Dumfriesshire with the present century, and one of 

 the chief centres of production is Alexander Kirkpatrick & 

 Son's newly erected factory at Thornhill, fitted with freezing 

 plant and other modern appliances by the Douglases of 

 Putney, London. 



Pigs bought in the surrounding districts are there " felled," 

 bled, skinned, and cleaned, without plotting or scraping, and 

 hung up to cool for twelve hours. The bones are cut out by 

 experts, and the quartered carcases are put for three days 

 into brine strong enough to float a potato. The quarters are 

 then ready to lace tightly into separate rolls with strong 

 twine, and in muslin bags, to be marketed for immediate 

 consumption, as Dumfriesshire rolled bacon. The best sizes 

 are pigs of 9 to 11 up to 15 stones of pork. The following 

 are the products derived from fifteen pigs, brought from a 

 distance by rail from a milk factory in September 1905 : The 

 fasted live-weight before shipment was 225 sts. The rough 

 weight, including skins and feet (17 sts. 2 Ibs.), was 167 sts. 2 Ibs., 

 leaving a skinned weight of 150 sts. (15 sts. each). From this 

 figure deduct bones, 17 sts. ; lard, 5 sts. 10 Ibs. ; heads, 8 sts. ; 

 (total, 30 sts. 10 Ibs.) to get the net weight, 1 19 sts. 4 Ibs., put 

 into the pickling tank. The price paid was 53. per stone live- 

 weight (which was rather above market rates), nearly equiva- 

 lent to 6s. 9d. rough weight, and 75. 9d. with the skin off. It 

 was sold wholesale as rolled bacon at 773. per cwt. 



