Wichita eagle., 1888-01-27
NEW FACTORS FOR CATTLE GROW
Frs
J. w. in DesMoines Re si>ter.

J. w. in DesMoines Re si>ter.
We buy more cattle products than we
sell as a nation. More cattle products
are brought into the United States than
are sent out of it. This. we know. is q
startling statement. But the exploiting
Of our ranch country. its rise and culmi-
nation. and decline, does not end that
kind of business. We have no more
ranches to exploit. no more buffalo to
destroy to make room for cattle. no more
to look for in the direction of increased
receipts of range cattle, but the refriger-
atOr steamboat and railway car. and the
cold storage. at home have introduced
new features into the cattle problem that
growers will do well to heed and esti-
mate. Nine men out of ten will boot at
the idea that we buy more than we sell
of cattle products. and yet it is the case.
l do not say we buy any more live cattle
than we sell, because it is not possible to
get the number of those we receive from
across our borders. One thing is certain
our markets are desirable to Canadians.
MeXiCanS and South Americans We
sell prime cOrn-fed cattle to Europeans
when their markets justify, which is not
always. Ours Is the best beef market in
the world, even for corn-fed beef. We
sold 1872. ,56 live cattle in 1880 from a
total of 45,00O,00O. If One-fifth of a
herd is marketed every year we sold
less than 100000 head out of every
800, 900 sent to a market. very small
per cent. 1t is true we sold beef
in quarters and in cans. but then we I'M
ported heavily in these directions. Our
herds have not increased much since
htlcl,}Sn If hp Of Il
the range country and the disposal of
''she" cattle from ranch herds Ship
ments to foreign countries in 1891 were
Sl4,304, l03: in 1882 only $500. 2221: in
1888, IS. BAL .43l; in 1884. 81. $50. 495: in
1885. Sl2 900, 500, just about the amount
sold in 1880
Our total values Of cattle products
sold in 1880 and 1855 were about $50
100. 600. The last two years are not in
diCative as averages owing to the de-
morahzation Of the ranch.
Now we bought in 1885 1914 head of
cattle. We got 1885 breading animals
and Isl, 9S, animals under the
head Of "others" which We're partly
horses. This list run up to 1873. 936 in
lSs, and the breeding list ran up To
5i.9i4 in 1897. These lists show the
V.
We let breeding animals come in free.
but our supposition is that they are ami
mails to improve our herds. and We know
very well that droves from Canada and
Mexico that might breed but GO 10 the
butchers and violate the spirit of the law.
We are making the point in this article.
however. that we import more cattle and
their product than we SELL
4 - E. L., I II
for bones. horns and boots in 1886. SSl..-
81. We imported in 1881 1856 pounds
OF candles and taperS. and Sl1.3S9. 913
worth of hides. We bought 81 .4Si. POI
worth OF dressed calf skin in 1897. and
S3S5,9il worth of hide cuttings for glue.
We imported 5,03S.G09 pounds of glue
the same year, and even .596, 294 pounds
of soap grease, 20.33,, 139 pounds of
hair-not hogs nor human hair-and
S55.0ll worth of rennets. We do not
include leather. We bought in 1886.
3l5. $50 pounds of beef. IA. 534 pounds of
butter and substitutes. 6,20l 1854 pounds
of cheese. S445.S12 worth of meats not
elsewhere referred to. S2,0,9 worth of
milk fresh. and S669.lSJ worth of con-
densed milk. SODA worth of sausage.
1854 pounds of tallow. and large /
quantities under the head of other pro-
visions. We bought 1882 .642 dozen of /,
eggs il 1886. that compete with beef pro-
ducts. besides considerable quantities of |
hog products, and 451, 266 head of sheep /
i'm 1887.
The above quotations from reports OF !
the treasury department show what Is |
coming from abroad. Some are free; 1
some pay 20 per cent duty on valuations /
where the products come from. /
Ii requires no argument 10 prove that (
comes here puts the American /
cattle growers on q level with the foreign 4
cattle grower, independent of the cost of /
growing. Mexico has over 500. GO0. zoo I
worth of cattle in ranches. The South 1
American republics swarm with cattle. I
The Argentine confederation has over
Ii ,G1.Wn. Canada has many that She /
cannot fatten. All these countries want 4
N here with their poor cattle. As soon .
y our ranch country ceases TO flood Us 4
with thin cattle they can come from
these countries mentioned. Heretofore
it cost 4 cartridge Ia get a steer in these
southern countries. The hide WAS all that .
rad values Cold storage possesses now
make the carcass valuable Tney can be
brought here In summer when they are
al and held in cold storage until win 1
er. That is being done now. We