24 



Prime Sizeable. — These are the most suitable bacon pigs, weighing, live weight 

 about 1, 2, 20 (188 lbs) to 2, 0, 9 (233 lbs.) and if properly bred, well finished, 

 and hard in the fat, are the most profitable to the curer, and always command 

 the highest price. 



Prime Stout. — The same remarks apply to this classification that are applied 

 to Prime Sizeable except that the pigs weighing live weight about 2, 0, 10 (234 lbs.) 

 to 2, 1, 9 (260 lbs.) are somewhat heavier and therefore never quite so suitable. 



Overweights. — The pigs for this classification weigh live weight about 2, 1, 10 

 (262 lbs.) to 2, 2, (280 lbs.) and the bacon manufactured from them is sold for 

 much less money, consequently their value is not so great. 



Unfinished. — These are thin, ill-shaped, coarse-legged, thick-skinned, or soft- 

 fatted pigs of all weights, that through being bad'ly bred, badly fed, or both, do 

 not finish properly, and are the opposite to being ' well finished ' and ' hard in the 

 fat.' 



MARKET ADVICE, 



The proper weight to market your pigs is 1 cwt. 3 qrs. 18 lbs. (218 lbs.) live 

 weight average, don't hurry them out lighter. 



Henry Denny & Sons. 



Co-operative Packing. 



In Ireland, as in Canada, swine raisers are not entirely satisfied with the treat- 

 ment received from the buyers and packers. This is more especially true south of the 

 middle line where pigs are sold aliva Learning of the success of co-operation in 

 bacon curing in Denmark, certain districts in Ireland have sought to apply the same 

 remedy. There is, consequently, in operation at Roscrea, in Tipperary county, an 

 extensive co-operative curing house, and it is hoped before long a similar plant will 

 be running in Wexford at the town of Enniscorthy. Before the visit of the Commis- 

 sion the Wexford co-operative bacon factory society had been formed, a prospectus 

 issued and much stock subscribed. 



The Roscrea factory has been in operation since early in 1908. It has 4,000 mem- 

 bers or patrons living within a radius of 18 miles round Roscrea. Each member must 

 own at least one share of stock, for which he pays one pound, but he may buy as many 

 shares as he likes. Each shareholder is entitled to share in the profits according to 

 the number of pigs he supplies. A statutory rule exists that each member must, imder 

 a penalty of $2.40 per pig, offer such bacon pigs as he produces, and all of them, to the 

 factory. This ensures a constant supply of the raw material, and also prevents any 

 attempts by outsiders to unduly influence the local markets temporarily, so as to induce 

 pig breeders to send their pigs elsewhere. On the other hand it is laid down that a 

 bonus will be given to pig suppliers according to the number of pigs which they pro- 

 duce. The rules are very comprehensive in character, and are subscribed to in a 

 declaration which each shareholder has to sign, and which forms a definite and binding 

 contract. 



The factory is constructed throughout of corrugated iron, which forms the roof 

 and sides, and which is carried on vertical iron columns. The total area covered is 

 approximately 136 ft. x 120 ft, and the departments are laid out to suit all require- 

 ments of such a plant. The capacity of the bacon factory is 600 pigs per week, and the 

 total cost, including the land, was about $37,000. 



Up to August, 1909, the average run had been 150 pigs per week, the highest num- 

 ber being 211. The killings would have been much larger but for the fact that the 

 society was short of working capital, and could not pay for more than a limited num- 

 ber of pigs per week. This was due to an error in commencing with too low a capitali- 

 zation, and strange to say the banks cannot be induced to advance money on the stock. 



t'^ux^ry 



