BACON GROWTH PORK. 185 



to make use of the technical term, as well as of 

 breeding fat. I readily acknowledge, however, this 

 is an old-fashioned opinion, the large varieties hav- 

 ing been not only long out of vogue, but the best 

 of them even out of existence. I remain yet un- 

 convinced. 



This property of growth, or accretion in stature, 

 in animals to be fattened, has been of late years 

 slighted, since the fashion has prevailed of confining 

 our attention solely to the consideration of fatten- 

 ing ; but on actual experiment, I believe it will be 

 found that, a well-shaped animal, of whatever spe- 

 cies, endowed with both properties, will make the 

 heaviest return, and in an article of superior quality, 

 for the quantity of meat consumed. 



The best PORK, in course, must be expected from 

 the smallest, most delicate, and fine-fleshed va- 

 rieties ; for example, as has been before observed, 

 those which have resulted from crosses with the 

 southern stock, or with the wild boar of the conti- 

 nent. All our reputed porking breeds have this 

 mixture in various degrees. But I must here put in 

 my plea of objection more strongly, and in the name 

 of good old English ROAST PORK, against the mo- 

 dern principle of sacrificing every thing to fat, and 

 consequently against those breeds, too frequently 

 and deeply crossed with the foreign forms, which 

 produce no lean. In bacon or salted pork, all fat 

 may be tolerable, and even may be preferred by 

 some palates ; but in roasted pork, it is not possible 

 but that a certain portion of lean flesh must be de- 

 sirable, scarcely a taste of which is to be found in 



