Saturday news. (Watertown, S.D.) 19??-19??, 1913-10-23

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meat IL the United States. which is
estimated to have fallen of 10 pounds
in 4 years, or from 1872 pounds in 1903
to 1852 pounds in the fiscal year 1913.
These figures are exclusive Of lard.
1t is evident that the country is fac
ing an era of short production Of
meat, and that some constructive
means must be adopted if the Ameri-
can appetite for this class of food is
to be supplied.
LIVE STOCK
Before the days of the packing
house each locality produced its own
meat. the packing house, with arti-
fetal refrigeration, made it possible
to ship dressed meat long distances.
Live stock produced ON the range
and finished on cheap corr supplied
the packers with cheap meat, with
which they soon captured the markets
of the country. The local butchers
stopped killing and began to handle
the packers meats. This destroyed
the local markets for live animals,
and as a result the production of beef
in the older farming sections was prac
tically discontinued and the produc-
ton of other meat animals was re-
duced greatly.
In recent years the high price Of
corn and the reduction in the area
of the range has wrought a great
change in the livestock situation. At
present the meat supply is decreas-
ing and the consumption is increas-
ing. This situation has forced upon
us a problem which can be met in
but n way, and that is more live
stock must be produced upon farms.
Two things are necessary to induce
the farmer to produce live stock:
First, he must have a ready market
for his animals, whether few or many;
and, second, he must be able to real.
a profit on their production.
Markets for Live Stock.
Farmers will no produce to any
extent a crop for which there is not
a ready market Except in the vicin-
ity of some of the larger cities, the
older farming sections have very poor
markets for animals on the hoof.
Often there is no market at all for ami
mails in small lots, and this is the
only kind of market that is worth
much to the farmer. If beef is ever
produced extensively on the farms, 1t
probably will be as a side line and not
as the main product. In this case cat
tie in large numbers will never be
produced by one man, as in the wesr.
Therefore, the central market which
suits the rancher and feeder does not
suit the farmer. He needs some kind
of a local market.
OF course when meat production in
a community becomes established.
buyers will come in and pick up the
small lots, put them together and ship
them, to the central markets. But at
present in many farming communities
are producing practically no
meat, there are some farmers who
would, II, they had a market, produce
some live stock, because they think
they can do SO without much addi-
tional labor or expense. But where
is the beginner in such a community
going to find a market? He alone
not find it; he must have the as
sistance Of some of his neighbors. By
cooperating, several farmers in a
neighborhood can plan to raise the
same kind Of animals, have them ready
for market at the same time, and ship
In carload lots. This viii make It
possible for a fe@ -farn.e-s any
community to secure a ready market
at all seasons. However, until the
spirit OF cooperation becomes strong.
er among u farmers, this plan win
not be regarded as furnishing very
ready markets. In communities where
9 large quantity OF live stock is pro-
.uced, the farmers an, under fair
competition, cooperate and slaughter
It themselves for local consumption.
IL they wish to do SO.
When the farms become the main
source Of our meat supply. as GEMS
Inevitable, much economy viii BE-
gained where each community pro
duces its own meat supply. Under
such circumstances local Strengthening
of some sort ON a scale sufficiently
large to be done economically seems
essential to the greatest economy.
This would tend to steady the mar
kef as well as to Increase the econ
omy Of production, s~laughtering and
marketing. At present, however, the
important consideration is a good mar
ket for animals in small numbers. 1t
useless to expect the farmers to be-
tome interested in live stock produc-
ton until there is q ready market.
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