Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-10-12

from producer to consumer that has
grown up in this country. In most OF
the countries Of Europe public abattoirs
have been constructed to which farmers
may consign their fat stock, the meat
from which is then sold to the con-
Sumer without passing through the
hands Of an interminable line of middle
men, each Of whom takes his toll. In
this country the farmer receives only
consumer. Enormous packing establish
ments have monopoliZed the business
and there is little or no competition in
buying the farmers stock. The enormous
fortunes that have grown up in this
business in recent years show that the
farmer has not been getting his full
share of the profits.
Again, the retail meat business as at
present conducted in cities renders
enormous profits necessary. Numerous
small groceries, each with its independ-
each serve few patrons scattered over
considerable overlapping areas. Better
organization of the retail business
whereby 1t shall be conducted in larger
units, with well systematized methods
of delivery, are seriously needed. Such
organization should greatly lessen the
retail price of meats, and at the same
time permit the farmer to receive bet
ter prices. This would encourage greater
production. Private organizations for
the systematizing of the retailing of
meats, without public supervision, will
tail milk business, but instead Of cheap
ening. the product to consumers, or in
have converted the saving thus effected
into exorbitant profits. Public abattoirs,
with public sale Of the meats of ami
mails slaughtered at them, have become
a crying need in this country"
Summing up Suggestions.
Summing up its suggestions for in
creasing the meat supply, the bulletin
says:
Our meat supply can be maintained or
even increased in the following ways:
BY the revival of beef cattle raising in
the corn belt and its extension in eastern
states. Up to the time of the rapid in
crease in the price of farm lands, farms
in the corn belt where beef cattle were
raised were common. The rise in value of
land and the Increase in the price of corn
caused pastures to be plowed UP and the
beef cows disposed of. reaction is now
setting in which promises to become i'm
portant A similar movement is notice
able in the eastern and New England
states. Success depends on the utilization
of pastures and cheap roughage.
BY the use of dual-purpose cows. In
strictly dairy sections, especially those
producing market milk, the dairy COW is
the only one to be considered Her calf
is an incident-a necessary evil. The pro-
duction and marketing of milk is the
dairy farmers business and he cannot
afford to let his attention be diverted
from the main matter in hand. On thou
sands of diversified farms, however. es-
pecially where cream is sold to cen
traliZed creameries, only few cows are
kept, and they are only part of the farm
erS business; the milk is but one of sew
eral sources of income. In such cases
the cows should produce calves that will
make profitable feeders.
by raising sheep more extensively in
the corn belt and in eastern states. The
Importance of the wool industry causes
farmers to overlook the value OF sheep
for mutton and weed destroyer. \
small flock of sheep of one of the NUT
ton breeds should be kept on every farm
to Craze the roadways, the stubble fields
after grain is cut, and the corn fields
after the corn is full grown. Both wool
and lambs are salable.
Sheep Feeding Opportunities.
'One of the best opportunities for sheep
feeding will be found in the irrigated
west Proximity to the range and the
great value of alfalfa hay for fattening
sheep make this business attractive.
by increasing hog production on the
irrigated farms of the west and by max
ing pork production an adjunct OF the
creamery wherever conditions permit.
The irrigation farmers have a splendid
opportunity for the profitable production
OF pork of the highest quality. Pigs can
be raised at a minimum cost on alfalfa,
and should then be finished on Z. ain
such as barley and peas. y broou SOW
can be Wintered on alfalfa hay and a
few sugar beets dailys without grain
AT crean1eries, where no use is made
of the skim milk or buttermill, pig feed
in should be an important SIDE line.
Corn and milk make an economical
ration for fatteninS. and which pro-
duces pork of excellent quality.
BY increasing the production of beef
cattle and hogs III the south. 'fhe south
is the only section of the United States
where cattle can still be raised. fed and
sold at a prohu at from ) to 6 cents per
pound. Tne tick has been almost the
only drawback to cattle production in
the south, but its passing is simply a
question of time and Industrious per-
severance.
The hog is the beef steers boon
companion. He is increasing in num-
bers in the south, and southern farms
Will in time supply the pork eaten by
southern farmers, and perhaps good
deal for the market as we'll. The Won
derful development of the boys corn
clubs is now being supplemented by
the organization of boys pig clubs The
boys of the south have been shown how
to grow corn; they are now being
shown how to feed il to hogs
by increasing the poultry output of
the farm. Poultry and poultry products
have a profound influence on the meat
supply, but less attention is probab bly,
paid by farmers to the breeding of
farm poultry and their care than to
any other animals With easy possibili-
ties for rapid Improvement by the use
of purebred males our farm f1ocks still