al.

The symptoms are a discoloration of the skin, and a refusal of food. As
these are the usual symptoms of several other ailments, it is difficult
to determine the cause of death save by a post-mortem examination. It is
to be feared that this mixing of a solution of salt and soda with the
other swill will be one of the difficulties met with in the more general
utilisation of kitchen refuse in the keeping of pigs.

CHAPTER XVIII

THE CURING OF PORK

In the good old times bacon curing was carried on in the large majority
of farm-houses as well as in many houses in the country districts, not
only where there were conveniences for the keeping of pigs, but many
householders were in the habit of buying carcases of pork from their
neighbours and curing the major portion for the following year's supply
of cured meats. Even the better class labourers would kill and cure it
so that as long as it lasted they had on hand a supply of most
nutritious and suitable food. Unfortunately a great change has taken
place of late years; this convenient and profitable plan has been
superseded. The causes may have been many; amongst them, the importation
of immense quantities of salt pork of very inferior quality at very low
prices from the United States; the change in the public taste which is
now for mild cured and lean bacon from young pigs, instead of the more
heavily salted meats from older and fatter pigs; the great decrease in
the number of pigs kept by cottagers and others in urban districts
through the operation of the so-called sanitary regulations; and
probably from the different style of living, which may or may not be an
improvement, amongst the residents in country districts.

It may be that one of the many changes which have been brought about by,
and which will also follow, the war will be a return to the more simple
and less luxurious manner of living. It is certain that a more
economical system will have to be followed, and one of the means of
effecting this may be a return to the keeping of pigs during their
growing stage on the house and garden refuse, and then when the pigs
have been fattened, by the killing and curing of the carcase for home
consumption.

Much has been written during recent years about the folly of allowing so
many millions of sovereigns to go out of the country in payment for the
vast weight of bacon, hams, and lard which we import from foreign
countries. Residents in the country have bee