The Saint Paul globe., 1897-10-17

con all over the west and south of
England, and also to Wales The
Welsh are large consumers of bacon.
The Wiltshire factories turn out the
finest grades of English bacon. They
have the best bacon-producing hogs,
and the British producers are expert
feeders of their pigs Nevertheless,
even in that vicinity, it is reported by
Consul Lathrop that large quantities
of American bacon are annually pur-
chased and consumed. The consul calls
particular attention to the prices, and
the great disproportion against the
American product.
While American bacon brings only
61a to cents per pound, the British
bacon brings Is to IL cents. Secretary
Wilson says that, with our better feed
ing facilities, If we could breed the
Tamworth pigs, we could get as good
prices as Denmark and Canada, and
we might even get as good prices as
are paid for the English product The
differences in price are constant, and
have been for many years.
1t is useless for our farmers to talk
about British discrimination against
US. There is no national feeling in the
bread market. People will pay the
best prices for r-the best goods no mat
ter where they are produced. What
we need is better quality of hog, and
d
bacon, and then we will get better
prices. At present, because of the eX-
treme fatneSs of our hogs, we send tre-
mendOuS hundredWeights of bacon to
the British markets, but there is not
enough lean in it. Our highest prices
do not touch the lowest quotations for
the Canadian and Danish. In other
words, we are getting only half the
amount which we ought to get for this
great product Of the Mississippi valley
ard our lake region. The people of the
South ought to drop cotton just little
bit, and turn their soil into bacon.
Why do we rest at the bottom of the
bacon market? There are reasons, and
many OF them. Scientific farmers have
developed reasons by the score. But,
there is only one reason. We must
think of the quality, and the suitability
of taste for the market. Our farmers
must learn how to keep hotel" They
must learn how to cater to the tastes
of their customers. When man calls
for ice cream, he won't be satisfied with
blanc mango When a man wants ham
and eggs he won't be satisfied with a
ham omelet. He pays his money and
he takes his choice.
The British bacon market is some
thing that we want We must under
stand that the Britisher don't want
bacon which is so fat that it is rancid.
He wants Tamworth lean in it. If we
want his money, we have got to give
him what he wants.
The Canadian and Danish hog raisers
have studied the British market. They
have found out what the British con-
sumner wants. Having ascertained
what he wants, they have gone to work
deliberately to satisfy their customer.
The result is, that they sell bacon for
nearly double what we can get; and it
costs them a great deal less to pro-
duce what the Britisher wants than
it costs US to produce What he doesn't
want. That is plain as a plkestaH.
Our farmers have .sregarded the de-
sires of the consumers for the British
market They have raised corn fed
hogs and made them too fat to walk
OF waddle, because that sort of bacon
suits "a Western or Northwestern class
OF customers. They might intelligently
continue that sort of business; and, at
the same time, they might raise some
lean porlzers and sell their bacon for
double the amount received here at
home
Corn fed hogs won't do for the rich
British market Our farmers must i'm
port Tamworth boars, and, in a few
years, they will produce firm flesh, firm
fat and good lean, which will bring
them plenty of money. When the de-
be easy The singed side would be most
satisfactory to the British market. 1t
should be shipped in borax instead of
salt The packer who acts on these
words of wisdom will soon have last
| ing market, with bonanza prices for
| his bacon.
| The department of agriculture is in
u terested in a number of horticultural
enterprises at the present time. Mr..
William Saunders, the horticulturist
of the department, is kept busy study
ing the various foreign horticultural
Industries, which are not to be found
! in this country, with view to intro
ducing them if possible, in the United
States.
His principal efforts at the present
time, however. are directed towards
the production of the camphor tree
/ in the Southern states, with view to
enlarging that industry to such an ex-
tent as to make camphor home
growing article of commerce. Although