CHAP. XXIV.] FARMING FOK LADIES. 477 



not sufficiently furnished, they will assuredly 

 suffer in growth. 



With respect to the fatting of a liog for 

 bacon, many people (as we have seen in the 

 last chapter) put them up for that purpose 

 when less than a twelvemonth old ; but, al- 

 though we admit that what is commonly called 

 "nice streaky bacon" may be thus made, we 

 yet insist that it will be deficient in that trans- 

 parent firmness by which bacon of prime qua- 

 lity should be distinguished ; nor can the hams 

 have the real flavour of those made from a 

 pig of eighteen months to two years of age : 

 in fact, nothing can be finer than the meat of 

 a spayed sow after she has produced four or 

 five litters, after yielding the profit of their 

 production ; and the pigs of Westphalia, Spain, 

 and Portugal, which furnish hams of such 

 superior quality, are never killed earlier. 



Although fresh pork is not eaten in the 

 summer, yet ham and bacon are more in de- 

 mand at that season than in winter : where- 

 fore, without adverting to the age at which 

 the animal is to be killed, and supposing 

 two to be slaughtered every year, it should 

 be done at the separate distance of six months 



