The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1883-12-12

THE MEAT SUPPLY OF THE FUTURE.
With population OF So, OOO. OOO the United
States has meat enough for all, with vast
surplus for export Notwithstanding these
facts, known to all, there are some people
who are not able to have all the meat they
want, and complaints of high prices are cor
tinually heard in all the important markets
of the country. 1t is safe to say that the ca
pacities of the United States for producing
meat are as little understood as are those for
producing corn, wheat, oats. barley. rye, etc
tits well, therefore, before becominSde spond-
ent in contemplating the meat supply of the
future to give a little attention to the meat
producing capacities OF the country. The
New Orleans Times-Demoerat does net
take a cheerful view of the outlook 1t
regards ''the beef cattle problem" as about
solved, and that too, in way not calculated
to American beef eaters of the present or the
future. At one time England exported beef
to France and Germany; now she is a large
purchaser of the American article, and
American beef has gone forward to Europe
in such vast quantities that the people of
Liverpool, London and Havre can purchase
American meat about as cheap as it is sold
in the markets of New York. Boston and
Philadelphia. The Times Democrat after
reciting such cheerful facts of the American
beef trade, expresses the opinion that at no
distant day change will come which will
be exceedingly inconvenient for European
meat eaters and scarcely less depressing
for Americans. The Times-Democrat, in
this connection says: "It has been the con-
slant boast of our stump orators and rural
statesmen that the poor of this country have
meat on their tables three times daily, while
the laboring classes of England, and Ger
many in particular. partake of it about as
often weekly. The time, however, is grad
Hally approaching when meat must COM
mand a much higher price, and the home
market will require the entire supply"
Cattle-raising in the United States is in its
infancy. We know little or nothing of the
boundless resources OF the country in that
regard, and if the States and Terrific
ries named by the Times-Democrat, Califor-
MIA. Arizona. Colorado, New Mexico, Texas
louisiana Dakota. Wyoming and Nebraska.
Our information is limited These States
and Territories have an area of 49,, 18S, 200
acres. IL We reduce the quantity of land
one-half as unavailable for cattle raising, we
have as a remainder 363 .59l, leo acres We
see il stated that one of the best stock rails
ing farms in Illinois is in Sangamon County,
owned by the Mes>rs Brown. They have
1000 head of cattle on 1900 acre farm;
hence three acres supports one hea of cat
tie. According to that calculation one-halt
of the area of the States and Territories
named by the Times-Democrat could take
care of l2l, ia, 100 head OF cattle Again,
suppose We take but one-quarter of the area
and devote it to cattle raising. giving twenty
acres to each head of cattle. we should then
havela herd OF 100000 head. But the ter
ritory named by the Times Democrat is only
portion OF the cattle raising domain. There
is Arkansas, Missouri. Kansas, Iowa, Mime
sofa, Wisconsin. Illinois. Indiana, Ohio and
Kentucky. Why not include these States in
the cattle raising region? They have an area
of 36S, 100 400 acres. We will throw off one
quarter of the amount as unavailable for
cattle raising purposes, and devote one-half
of the remainder to the business assuming
that it will require twenty acres instead of
three, as in the case of the Illinois Stock
Farm, per head. In that case we have an
other herd of 1000, 900 head, and for ell the
States and Territories named an aggregate of
100000 head of cattle. II would seem
that up to the present our basis of calcula-
ton is approximately correct, as the census
gives the States and Territories named 16,-
442, 4l9 head of cattle, other than working
oxen and mich COWS. We have shown that
in Illinois 900 head of cattle are supported
on farm of 5000 acres. In our calculation
we have given twenty acres to each head of
cattle. 1t is safe to assume that the amount
of land per head, even as the cattle business
is now conducted, ought not to exceed ten
acres. This estimate for the States and terri
tories named would gives us 10000 600 head
of beef cattle. But there is another impor-
tant fact to be considered in
regard to the meat supply of
the future. The breeds of cattle are being
improved to an extent that, without addi-
tional expense, Durham steer at four years
of age weighs twice as much as Texas steer
of the same age. Admitting the statement,
and 80 100000 head of cattle in the future
would. in the matter of meat equal GA, 0OO,-
600 head of cattle of the present. All things
considered, we do not regard the meat out
look as specially depressing. In 1880 We had
in the United States and Territories %, 1885,
$50 cattle other than working oxes and
mich cows. We had 81, 900. 900 head of sheep
| and a., 100000 head of swine; and when re-
| quired the number can be doubled without
| inconvenience.
STORIES OF ANIMALS.