158 THE PRACTICAL SIDE OF 



preferred meat which was excessively 

 fat. In these days, however, the public 

 demand bacon containing a large proportion 

 of lean. The object of the writer in referring 

 to these facts is to point out to those who 

 cure bacon for their own consumption that 

 the fat meat of old times is a superior food. 

 The consumption of excessive quantities of 

 the lean meat of bacon is deleterious to the 

 consumer, partly owing to the fact that the 

 digestion of salted lean meat is a ta,x upon 

 the system, and partly because the salt is 

 deleterious. This fact is emphasised in the 

 case of lean bacon which has been cured in 

 a factory, for in addition to an excessive 

 quantity of salt the buyer consumes boracic 

 acid. 



We may take it as a general rule that the 

 small holder should utilise the breeding sow 

 as a portion of his stock. Where the waste 

 in the garden or on the farm is considerable, 

 or where the crops produced are peculiarly 

 adapted to pig feeding, a small farmer may 

 keep two, or even three, breeding sows, 

 but he should make haste slowly, beginning 

 with one and adding a second only when he 

 can see his way. Bills for barley meal and 

 other foods supplied to pigs are apt to become 



