FATTENIXa.] 



PIGS, 



[rATTENiya, 



notices a few of these. He says that fifty 

 large Norfolk swine, from 18 to 19 stone 

 each, in thriving, healthy condition, were 

 kept so on four-and-a-half bushels of peas per 

 day, with wash ; being about three quarts each 

 per day. A Hampshire sow, .weighing 11 

 stone, was stored upon two quarts and a-half 

 of peas per day, with roots and wash. A 

 Shropshire hog, three years old, was kept in 

 high condition as a store — being nearly 80 

 stone, or 640 lbs. weight — on three bushels of 

 barley-meal, with house-wash as usual, for 

 every seventeen days : about eleven pints per 

 day. The Earl of Winchelsea's celebrated pi'ize 

 hog, so much admired when exhibited, con- 

 sumed, of corn and meal, one quarter, one bushel, 

 and one peck, in fourteen weeks and three 

 days. This animal was of the Suffolk breed, 

 and consequently small. A Kentish hog, being 

 six months old, and weighing 20 stone 1 lb., or 

 161 lbs., having been put up to fatten, con- 

 sumed, during a period of forty-two weeks, 

 forty-six bushels of peas and barley. It was 

 then killed; and when stripped of its head, 

 feet, flare, or internal fat, all loose fat, skirts, 

 and kidneys, it was found to weigh 53 stone 

 3 lbs. A Tonquin pig — an epithet then given 

 to the black and white, or improved Essex 

 breed — weighed, at four months old, 104|- lbs. 

 It was put up for forty-seven weeks; when, 

 during that period, it consumed eleven bushels 

 two pecks of hog peas, and eighteen sacks of 

 meal, at 85 lbs. to the sack. "When killed, its 

 weight was 30 stone 2 lbs., at 8 lbs. to the 

 stone; and it bad, as usual, been dressed London 

 fashion; that is, deprived of head, legs, flare, 

 loose fat, &c. 



Mr. French Burke gives the following 

 details : — 



" The time requisite for fattening, depends, 

 of course, on the condition of the animal when 

 put up, as well as upon its age. If a young 

 store, five or six weeks may be sufficient ; if 

 older, six or eight ; and if the mature age in- 

 tended for a perfect bacon hog, of that mode- 

 rate degree of size and fatness which is pre- 

 ferred for the general consumption of the 

 middle classes, from twelve to fourteen. A 

 bacon hog, if intended to be thoroughly fat- 

 tened for farm use, should, however, be of a 

 large breed, and brought to such a state as 

 not to be able to rise without difficulty ; but 

 786 



may, perhaps, require five or six months, or 

 even more, to bring him to that condition. 

 This, however, supposes him to be completely 

 fat ; to ascertain which with perfect accuracy, 

 he ought to be weighed every week during the 

 latter part of the process ; for although his 

 appetite will gradually fall off as he increases 

 in fat, yet the flesh which he will acquire will 

 also diminish, until, at last, it will not pay for 

 Ids food, and he should then be immediately 

 slaughtered. Thus the increase of flesh in a 

 pig put up to be fattened, and regularly 

 weighed, was, on the following dates : — 



*• Eespecting the quality of food, vast num- 

 bers of bacon hogs are imported from Ire- 

 land, where they are almost invariably fed 

 upon potatoes ; but however apparently satis- 

 factory may be their weight and condition, 

 yet, when slaughtered immediately, or before 

 having several weeks of substantial food, to 

 harden their flesh, they are always found in- 

 ferior to the corn-fed pork and bacon of this 

 country, the fat having a tallowy appearance, 

 of an insipid taste, and shrinking for want of 

 firmness ; whereas, when boiled, it should be 

 transparently hard, with a tinge of pink in 

 its colour ; the flavour should be good, and the 

 meat should swell in the pot. Potatoes, there- 

 fore, though fine food for stores, should never 

 be used alone as sustenance in the fattening 

 of bacon hogs ; for, in proportion to the quan- 

 tity employed, they will render the flesh, and 

 consequently the price, inferior to that of hogs 

 which have been properly fed. They are, 

 however, frequently employed, when steamed, 

 in conjunction with either tail or stained 

 barley, coarsely ground; and farmers who 

 grow potatoes for the market, may thus profit- 

 ably dispose of the chats along with their 

 unmarketable corn: but those persons who 

 wish to acquire a reputation for producing 

 fine bacon, should never use anything for fat- 

 tening but hard meat, together with skim- 

 milk, if it can be procured." The rapidity 

 with which flesh can be laid on by pigs, 



