In the winter-time
things went very hard indeed with all classes. There was no lack of
fuel, for the brakes and waste afforded turf which all might cut, and
kindling which all had a right to carry away; but the poor horses and
sheep and cattle were half starved for at least four months in the
year, and one and all were much smaller than they are now. I doubt
whether people ever fatted their hogs as we do. When the corn was
reaped, the swine were turned into the stubble and roamed about the
underwood; and when they had increased their weight by the feast of
roots and mast and acorns, they were slaughtered and salted for the
winter fare, only so many being kept alive as might not prove
burdensome to the scanty resources of the people. Salting down the
animals for the winter consumption was a very serious expense. All
the salt used was produced by evaporation in _pans_ near the
seaside, and a couple of bushels of salt often cost as much as a
sheep. This must have compelled the people to spare the salt as much
as possible, and it must have been only too common to find the bacon
more than rancid, and the ham alive again with maggots. If the salt
was dear and scarce, sugar was unknown except to the very rich. The
poor man had little to sweeten his lot. The bees gave him honey; and
long after the time I am dealing with people left not only their
hives to their children by will, but actually bequeathed a summer
flight of bees to their friends; while the hive was claimed by one,
the next swarm might become the property of another.
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