CHAPTER XXII. 

 THE BACON-TYPE HOG. 



The bacon hog presents some very marked differences 

 when compared with the lard hog in form, fleshing, and tem- 

 perament. These differences are very necessary because the 

 bacon hog yields a product that is quite different from that of 

 the fat or lard hog. The foremost countries in bacon production 

 are England, Denmark, and Canada, the first mentioned con- 

 suming the surplus production of the other two. It is a superior 

 product to that with which the American public is furnished, 

 being the finest that is produced. American bacon is the belly 

 meat of the lighter and thinner hogs of the lard type, but English 

 bacon is supplied by a hog the entire side of which is suitable 

 for bacon. Denmark and Canada ship bacon to England in 

 the form of what is called the "Wiltshire" side. A Wiltshire 

 side represents half the carcass of the hog, minus the head and 

 legs. The neck, shoulder, back, loin, side, belly, and ham are 

 included, and all of these parts are retailed as bacon except the 

 ham and shoulder. 



The best bacon contains a relatively large amount of lean 

 meat and small amount of fat. The price charged for bacon 

 at wholesale or retail is very largely regulated by these features, 

 a cheap slab of bacon always being characterized by greater 

 thickness, little lean, and much fat. The production of high- 

 quality bacon therefore necessitates a different kind of hog than 

 the lard hog, a hog disposed to be muscular and active, but not 

 a hog that fattens readily. The production of the best bacon 

 also necessitates feeding this hog on such feeds as will furnish 

 nitrogenous or muscle-building materials in abundance, the 

 carbonaceous or fat-forming elements of the ration being supplied 

 in much less amount than would be advisable if lard hogs were 

 J>eing fed. This fact explains why but few bacon hogs are found 

 in the cornbelt, and also why the United States is able to pro- 

 duce the lard hog at lower cost than he can be produced else- 

 where. Whereas corn plays a large part in the production of 

 Aard-type swine for the market, the bacon hog is fed on such 

 feeds as peas, barley, and skim milk, which are much better 



290 



