Management of Grass Land. 
159 
consumption of bacon in the agricultural districts is an important 
element in estimating the national supply of meat, and is liable 
to be underrated in consequence of its never being brought to 
market, or in any other way exposed to public view. I have 
had a careful enumeration made of the pigs in the two parishes 
immediately adjoining my residence, which contained, in 1871, 
a population of 1139 souls entirely dependent on agriculture 
for their support. In these two parishes 230 bacon-pigs and 
35 porkers have been killed within the last twelve months, the 
whole for home consumption. The bacon-pigs averaged 306 
lbs., and the porkers 86 lbs. each. Of the 230 bacon-pigs, 94 
were killed by farmers, 113 by labourers, and 23 by small 
tradesmen and others not belonging to either of those classes. 
1 have no reason to think that these parishes differ in any 
material respect from the average agricultural parish of the 
northern counties. In Ireland the proportion of bacon-pigs to 
porkers killed is much larger than in England. 
From the best information I can obtain I am disposed to 
fix the proportion of bacon-pigs to porkers for the United King- 
dom at two to three. The numbers will therefore stand as 
follows : — 
Self-maintaining Herd of Pigs. 
Total Number of Herd. \ 
Sows 20 
Boar 1 
Porkers oqa 
Bacon-pigs 112) ""^ 
301 
Less deaths = 3 per cent 9 
20 sows will annually produce 
280 pigs. 
To replace breeding stock, 10 
sows and 1 boar must be provided 
annually out of the young stock. 
292/ 
Annually available for Market. 
Sows (half) 10 
Boar 1 
Bacon-pigs (fths killed yearly) 90 
Porkers (all) 168 
269 
Less deaths 3 per cent 8) 
To replace breeding stock .. .. llj " 
250 
A herd of 292 pigs of all ages, will therefore supply annually 
for slaughter 250, = 871 pgr cent. This will require consider- 
able modification, in consequence of the number of young pigs 
