402 Pork Production 



in a number one Wiltshire side may be enumerated as 

 follows: First, the side when it comes out of the salt 

 must be firm and hard ; second, the side must contain a 

 maximum of lean meat of fine grain and color, mixed with 

 and covered by just the right amount of fat ; third, the 

 carcass or side must possess the desirable shape ; fourth, 

 it must be within the limits of weight ; and fifth, it should 

 be heavy in proportion to the live weight. 



Of these points it is most important that the bacon be 

 firm. Softness is claimed to be the most common and 

 serious fault. Day, while at the Ontario Agricultural 

 College, made numerous experiments to determine the 

 causes of soft bacon.^ At the conclusion of his study, the 

 following were given as the most frequent : unthriftiness 

 of the pigs due to insanitary conditions, or a faulty or 

 unbalanced ration; not finished in condition; and an 

 exclusive corn ration for an extended time during the 

 growing period. A moderate amount of exercise, a 

 balanced ration of mixed grains with dairy by-products, 

 and general thriftiness and health all tended to produce 

 firm bacon. Barley, either alone or with oats or middlings, 

 produced bacon of the very best quality. 



" A streak of fat and a streak of lean" expresses well 

 one of the essentials of good bacon. The lean must also 

 be fine in texture and bright in color. The fat in addi- 

 tion to being firm and white must be even and uniform 

 in depth, from l\ to 2 inches along the back and loin. 

 The carcass should be long, especially between the top 

 of the shoulder and the ham, and uniform in width and 

 thickness from end to end. The most valuable retail 



' Bull. 10, The Production of Ba«on for the British Market ; 

 Dominion of Canada, Dept. Agr., Branch of the Live-stock 

 Commission. 



