480 FARMING FOR LADIES, [chap. xxit. 



of 182 stone ! We have ourselves frequently 

 had at our own table, in Germany, West- 

 phalia hams of 40 to 50 pounds, which were 

 very mellow and fine flavoured ; and we recol- 

 lect having once seen a ham, at a cheesemon- 

 ger's in London, which weighed 76 lbs., with 

 all the appearance of being very fine meat. 

 There can therefore be no solid objection 

 against rearing a bacon-hog of any breed, 

 and feeding him to any size ; but for the use 

 of a moderate family we think one of 20 to 

 25 stone dead weight— which gives from 160 

 to 200 lbs. of meat — will be found sufficiently 

 large. 



Of whatever size or age they may be when 

 shut up to be fattened, they are, when stores, 

 usually allowed either the range of the road- 

 side or of the common, instead of keeping 

 them constantly confined in the yard ; and, 

 in order to prevent them from doing mischief 

 by grubbing up the ground with their snouts 

 in search of roots, it is customary to "ring 

 them," when two or three months old, by 

 inserting a small circular piece of iron into 

 the gristle of the nose, which prevents their 

 using it for that purpose. Sometimes, how- 



