14 



SWINE GEOBGE E. DAY. 



ness of shoulder, neck, and head; and trimness of belly. 

 The conformation of the bacon hog will be discussed more 

 full)' in another place, but a study of the diagram showing 

 the relative values of different parts of a side of bacon in 

 the London market, will be found helpful to the study of 

 the scale of points which follows. From the diagram it will 

 be seen that the most valuable meat is the upper part of the 

 side, from the back of the shoulder to the ham. The 

 shoulder and neck are much cheaper. The under portions 

 of the side are lower in value than the parts above them, and 

 the ham, as a whole, is not equal in value to the side. 



Diagram of Wiltshire Side, showing retail dealer's method of cutting, and 

 approximate range of values in Great Britain. 



The illustration showing a No. i side, that is to say, a 

 first-class side, and a fat side of bacon, is also useful. It will 

 be seen that the No. i side has a much more uniform layer 

 of fat along the back, and that it is much lighter in shoulder 

 and neck than the fat side, and therefore furnishes less 

 cheap meat in proportion to the more valuable parts. The 

 illustration also shows the form in which Wiltshire sides 

 are shipped to the British market. 



Bacon Type. As a rule, when we speak of a bacon hog 

 we mean a market hog, that is, a hog suitable for slaughter- 

 ing and manufacturing into Wiltshire sides. Of course, 

 such a hog possesses bacon type. Boars and breeding sows 

 are entirely unsuitable for making Wiltshire sides, but they 

 may be of a type suitable for producing progeny which 

 would make good Wiltshire sides, and, therefore, such breed- 



