|

OF WESTMORELANDSe 2809

àre neither frong nor handſome; fxteen or ſeventeen pounds are reckoned a good price for a horſe at five years old. Moſt commonly two, tho’ ſometimes three, and in the weſtern part of the county even four, are yoked to- gether in a plough, They are often turned upon the Commons in tlie intervals of lábour, which, as the farmeée very probably has neither turnips nor fallow, are Very frequent in the ſummer months.

There being only one perſon in Weſtmoreland who uſes ox teams, it may be jufßtly inferred, that the general opinion of farmers in the county is in favour of horſes, The writer of this Report has not ſuch information upon the fubject, as to be able to draw the deſired compariſon between theſe uſeful animals,

DECT. 4— Ege,

The ſwine of Weſtmoreland, though not large, are good in their kind. Farmers, butchers, and others, who Kill ſwine, often diſpoſe of the hams to perſons who make a trade of curing them for ſale. Perhaps there may not be any thing peculiar in the mode of making hams in this county: but it is believed that a detail of the proceſs may be entered here without impropriety..

The hams âre fir rubbed very hard, generally with bay-ſalt; by ſome they are covered cloſe up, by others they are left on a ſtone bench to allow the brine to run off. At the end of five days they are again rubbed as lard as they were at firſt, with ſalt of the ſame ſort, mix- ed with rather more than an ounce of faltpetre to a ham. Having lain about a week, either on a ftone-bench, or in hogſheads amongſt the brine, they are-hung up by ſome in the chimney amidſt the ſmoke, whether of peats or coals; by others, in places where’no ſmoke ever reaches them, If not ſold ſooner, they are ſuffered to remain

UY there

\ |

4 7 _j YE E TE: J N