518 BRITISH HUSBANDRY, [Ch. XLI. 



weight during the second year, as they do in the first. It is, indeed, said, 

 that '' when reared with care, and not stinted at an early age, they will 

 weigh, when thirteen or fourteen months old, 40 stone of 14 lbs., and when 

 two years old, from 50 to 60 stone*." It may, indeed, be sometimes more 

 convenient to fat the male stores at an early age ; but a breeding-sow 

 should always be allowed to have four or five litters, as she will improve in 

 flesh while yielding the profit of her production. 



The time requisite for fattening depends, of course, on the condition of 

 the animal when put up, as well as upon his age : if a young store, five or 

 six weeks may be sufficient ; if older, six or eight ; and if of the mature 

 age intended for a perfect bacon-hog of that moderate degree of size and 

 fatness which is preferred for the general consumption of the middle classes, 

 from twelve to fourteen. A bacon-hog, if intended to be thoroughly fat- 

 tened for farm use, should, however, be of a large breed, and brought to such 

 a state as not to be able to rise without difficulty, and will, perhaps, require 

 five or six months, or even more, to bring him to that condition. This, how- 

 ever, supposes him to be completely fat; to ascertain which with perfect ac- 

 curacy, he ought to be weighed every week during the latter part of the 

 process ; for although his appetite will gradually fall off as he increases 

 in fat, yet the flesh which he will acquire will also diminish, until at last 

 it will not pay for his food, and he should then be immediately slaughtered. 

 Thus the increase of flesh in a pig put up to be fattened, and regularly 

 weighed, was on the following dates t: — 



Oct. 10. 



24. . . . 

 Nov. 7. . . . 



21, . . . 

 Dec. 5 



22. 



Respecting the qnality o/" /borf, vast numbers of bacon-hogs are im- 

 ported from Ireland, where they are almost invariably fed upon potatoes ; 

 but, however apparently satisfactory may be their weight and condition, 

 yet, if slaughtered immediately, or before having several weeks of sub- 

 stantial food to harden their flesh, they are always found inferior to 

 the corn-fed pork and bacon of this country — the fat having a tallowy 

 appearance, of an insipid taste, and shrinking for want of firmness ; 

 whereas, when boiled, it should be transparently hard, with a tinge 

 of pink in its colour, the flavour should be good, and the meat should 

 swell in the pot. Potatoes, therefore, though fine food for stores, should 

 never be used as sustenance in the fatting of bacon-hogs ; for, in propor- 

 tion to the quantity employed, it will render the flesh, and consequently the 

 price, inferior to that of hogs which have been properly led. They are, 

 however, frequently employed, when steamed, in conjunction with either 

 tail or stained barley, coarsely ground, and farmers who grow potatoes for 

 the market may thus profitably dispose of the chats along with their unmar- 

 ketable corn ; but those persons who wish to acquire a reputation for pro- 

 ducing fine bacon, should never use any thing for fatting but hard meat, 

 together with skim-milk, if it can be procured. 



When hogs have reached the proper age for making bacon, although 

 they may be in such good condition with regard to fat as to be apparently 

 fit to kill, yet they must have, during some weeks, at least, a different sort 



* Parkinson's Surv, of Huntingdon, p. 238, 

 f Buckinghamshiie Rep., p. 32J, 



