210 CHOICE BACON GROWTH. 



seasons most usually advantageous for the purchase 

 of pig stock, are, at Old Michaelmas, after clearing 

 the harvest fields, and in the months of March and 

 April. 



CHOICE OF VARIETIES. 



The reader is referred to our brief but sufficient 

 list of these, from which, according to his convenience 

 or opportunity, he may make his election : or without 

 farther trouble, he may very safely have recourse to 

 the HOME-BREDS of his own district or vicinity, since 

 we are so far generally improved, that in whatever 

 part of England a man may reside, he need not fail 

 to purchase pigs for his money, which a sufficiency of 

 good meat will fatten to profit. 



For BACON-HOGS, in a commercial view, the regu- 

 lar large varieties are, doubtless, best calculated, as 

 endowed with the important qualification of growth, 

 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 having 

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

 them even out of existence. I remain yet uncon- 

 vinced. 



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 atten- 

 tion solely to the consideration of fattening ; but, on 

 actual experiment, I believe it will be found, that a 

 well-shaped animal, of whatever species, endowed 



