The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1913-07-22
Eypcrts Sent to Australia and
south America to Instruct
Beef Packers.
Trust rs IN THE FIELD
Armour & Co. Already Have
Built Largest Abattoir in
the Argentine.

a,v meat and meat products Secretary
.o,,s,on OF the Department OF Agricul-
,,,, has detailed DR.. A. II. Melvin. chief
=, ,b. bureau Of animal industry. to 60
"a South America to investigate the
slurhtering canning and general pack
inc house business Of that continent.
Secretary Houston also has ordered Dr.
= C.. Joss Of the bureau OF animal In
dustry. whose headquarters are at Port
land. ore. Immediately to proceed to
Australia to make similar investigation
there.
II is admitted at the Department OF
Agriculture that as a matter OF fact Dr.
Melvin and DR.. Joss. both experts In
their line. are being sent to the big beer
producing countries to instruct the pack
ers there how to prepare their products SO
as to expedite the entry into this coun-
try Of fresh beef when the act becomes
effective.
The action Of the Department In send
ing the experts with assistants Is re-
sarded as the most advanced step yet
taken by the Administration in the hope
of reducing the cost Of living in this
country.
1
Australia produce n surplus Of beef sum-
cent to reduce the present exorbitant
Prices in this country II the flow of ex-
port trade only can be directed this way.
Beef Trust Active.
information has reached the Depart
nient Of Agriculture within the last day
or two that American packers who have
for several years maintained establish
nents In South America already are
awake to the possibilities OF Increased
trade with the United states. They are
preparing to increase their facilities. but
whether or not this promises any sub
stantial relief seems doubtful. for the con-
Germs that are showing the chief activity
are members of the so-called beef. trust
For instance. a representative OF Ar
mour & Co. to-day informed DIR. Melvin
that the company had completed plans
for the erection of an abattoir just out
side of BucnOs Ayres that would be the
most complete and extensive of any In ex-
istence. The Department also IL In pos
session Of information that other Aneri-
can packers are extending their plans in
the Argentine. Paraguay and Brazil. and
that altogether the cattle business in
South America Ii on the boom In antici-
patton of the free entry into this country
Of fresh meat
Dr. Melvin with his assistants leaves
New York on July &c on the steamship
Verdi and expects to be gone about three
months The date OF the sailing Of DIR.
Joss with his assistants has not yet been
liked
According to Or. Melvin. the situation
In regard to the beef supply In this coun-
try is serious. He says that Americans
are the greatest consumers Of beef In
the world, exceeding even the British.
who have had the reputation Of being the
greatest beef eaters.
American Cattle Decrease.
The population OF the United States.
according to the statistics at the Depart
men, has increased normally in the past
twenty years. but the increase In cattle
has fallen far below the relative increase
in population and immigration.
"One OF the reasons Of the lack OF
beef cattle in this country" said DIR.
Melvin TO Sun representative to-day.
Us failure to permit cattlemen to lease
public range where II can be fenced and
water developed. and the most got out OF
The public range In that way. At present
III" Government has no satisfactory leas-
Ing system so that cattlemen would be
justified in making plans for the future.
In brief the present policy OF the Govern
men, has so worked out that the cattle
men OF small resources who were once SO
numerous on our Western ranges no
longer exist"
o-. Melvin said that the growing
sa,r,age OF the beef supply Of the country
has been serious cause for alarm in
recent years.
I'VE no longer have the former abun-
dant supply OF cattle raised chiefly on the
free range" said he THE range Is be-
Ing cut up and fenced of into farms or
diverted to sheep grazing. In addition
there Is great increase In the price OF
corn and feeds, which has made cattle
feeding risky and expensive undertake
ng
Estimates by the bureau Of statistics
OF the Department OF Agriculture show
tkat in the last six years the number Of
beef cattle in the United States has fallen
from 5l,6SS,Oo0 to 36.030.0 900. a decrease
OF about l5,500.000. or 80 per cent.
Market reports show that receipts of
cattle at six Western markets from jan
uary to March 10 have decreased to
The extent of $4,000. while sheep show
"''r'dse OF SSo.VUO ana nOgS at eleven
markets have fallen more than 959.O00.
This decrease In reflected In the number
OF animals slaughtered under the meat
inspection act. In January and February.
as compared with the same months of
IAst year, the decreases amounted to
1881 cattle, 2l.22s calves. 3sl,30+ sheep
: and s96, SOS swine.
Home Demand Increases.
The home demand for meat, on the
''h'r hand. has been increasing along
Win tn" population. According to tn,
census we have $4,000 900 more people
feed than we had twenty years ago.
Sn"rlcans are great meat eaters A
sSeht estimate made by the animal In
'ustfy bureau shows the annual con.
sumption of meat head OF the popu-
"Von TO be 1852 pounds Of which beef
ohs'tutes so pounds and veal ~ pounds. !
rms is about 25 pounds head greater
Wan the British consumption OF beef and
.eA' and approximately 40 pounds greater
"sa that Of France and Germany"