Live Stock.—Swinem=Methods of curing Bacon, Pork and Hams. 1201

their difpofitions to fatten, but in general from five or fix weeks to two or three months is fufficient.

In the time of fattening, it is likewife of great importance to keep the hogs clean and warm, by having them frequently well littered down, as by this means they not only fatten more quickly, but the moft manure poffible is raifed. The advantage of warm fties, with warm food in cold weather, has been found very confiderable.

It is the beft method to have the pigs caftrated while young.‘The male pigs are ufually gelded at about three weeks old without danger, and the female ones may be cut or fpayed when a month old; though, in the latter cafe, the operation is frequently _ performed at a much later period. The fows, when not wanted for the purpofe of breeding, may alfo be fpayed: this bufinefs is moftly done by perfons who are ia the conftant practice of it.

It is abfolutely neceflary to keep all forts of fwine conftantly well ringed, in order that they may lie quietly in the fties, and of courfe thrive better.

A great miftake feems to haveebeen committed by farmers in the management of hogs, from the fuppofition that they can only be kept with profit in fo far.as they may confume the materials that would otherwife be wafted. There cannot, however, be any doubt but that fwine will pay for their keep as well as any other fort of live flock, where a judicious fyfiem of cultivating crops purpofely for them is purfued.‘This is fully fhown by the various ftatements that have been made on the fubject.

There are different ways of curing the flefh of hogs, according to the intention for which it is defigned. When cured as bacon, it is the practice in Kent to finge off the hairs, by making a firaw fire round the hog, an operation which is termed /waling. “When the flitches are cut out they fhould be rubbed effectually with a mixture of common falt and faltpetre, and afterwards laid in a trough, where they are to continue three weeks or a month, according to their fize, keeping them frequently turned; and being then taken out of the trough are to be dried by a flack fire, which will take up an equal portion of time with the former; after which they are to be hanged up, or thrown upon a rack, there to remain till wanted.”

In the making of bacon on the continent, it is frequently the cuftom to have clofets contrived in the chimneys, for the purpofe of drying and fmoking them by means of wood fires*.

Another method of curing this fort of meat is that of falting it down for pickled pork, which is far more profitable than bacon. After the hog is cleanfed of the

* Bradley on Hufbandry and Gardening. 70