ON AGRICULTURE TO IRELAND 



99 



recognised the importance of the pig trade, and set about its- 

 development. It sent a deputation to Denmark to find out all 

 that could be found out about the bacon-curing industry of that 

 country. The report of this deputation turned out to be the well- 

 known report on " Comparative Agriculture and Eural Conditions 

 in Denmark." But the Commissioners set out with the view of 

 studying specially the bacon-curing trade, and this department of 

 Danish farming received a greater amount of attention than any 

 other. The Department also instituted a swine scheme with the 

 view of improving the breed of swine. The ideal of the Depart- 

 ment is a pig with a neat head, neither too long nor too short, for 

 both point to defective breeding ; light neck and shoulder, which. 



"choice goods" at glasnevin 



improve the quality and price of the side ; deep heart and well- 

 sprung ribs, which are indispensable in first-class animals ; thick 

 loins, which indicate a strong constitution ; stout thighs, which 

 mean well-developed hams ; short legs, which make for plumpness ; 

 long silky hair, evidence of general good health — a pig that will 

 feed in seven months to twelve stones dead weight. To begin 

 with, the Department awarded a premium of £5 for one year to 

 boars approximating to the above description, and eligible for entry 

 in the Register of Pigs of the Eoyal Dublin Society. This scheme 

 was not entirely successful, and in 1905 the Department awarded 

 two premiums, one of £5 for the first year and one of £3 for the 

 second year. They went further. They facilitated County 

 Committees in enabling farmers to purchase boars by a deposit 

 of £2, the balance being obtained from the premium at the end of 

 the season. There were, of course, conditions attached in all cases. 

 We cannot enumerate them here. It is sufficient to say that each 



