Norwich bulletin., 1914-07-23
URUGUAY AND THE
 MEAT PROBLEM.
First Extract of Beef Fxetory at Fray
 6entos, Uruguay.

Stt<~~r VI AS@oJs
 With Porterhouse steak at 50 cents pound retail as an imminent facr the beef-eaters of the world are get- ting somewhat worried, especially those who happen to be domiciled In the United States Argentina Is sup plying some of her product. but when the enormous total of Uncle Sans consumption is taken into coneidera- ton the quantity is not even as mue b as the proverbtal drop in the bucket Where can we look for more mea-2 Is the all-absorbing question
 In this connection it is interesting to note an article in the July number Of the Monthly Bulletin of the Pan American Union, Washington. D. C., in which. under the title of Uruguay as Cattle Country. some interesting details as to the live stock industry of this rich little republic of South America are given.
 Something over hundred years ago the hacendados (ranchmen) of Uruguay complained to the govern Nment that over 450.000 head of cattle were being killed annually for their thrown to the dogs. or left on the roll- ing pampas for the vultures to de- your. Beef in Uruguay was so pienti- full that it was something of a nuis- has passed, but they still have cat tie enough down there to convert some 100000 head into 113.O0O, ,0e0 pounds of jerlzed beef in one year. most of which is sold to Brazil, Cuba, Porto Rico, and other tropical coun- | tries Think of the juicy tenderloins of 100000 head of cattle going into | jerzed beef.
 Again there are many thousands of Uruguayan cattle annually converted into extract of beef. Perhaps but few people know that the first great fac- tory for the production of beef ex- | tract known to the world was estab- | lished at Fray Bentos, a little city on the Uruguay River about 100 miles | above Buenos Aires, the cosmopolitan capital of Argentina, and that 1t .s | still doing business "at the same old I stand" although the stand" has grown enormously larger since the time it became the pioneer in the reputation of this concern is perhS ps largely due to the high grade of the cattle of Uruguay, as well as to the
 cleanly and scientific manner of the preparations of the product. The writ CT of the article in the Bulletin states: Fray Bentos- has been called the
 greatest kitchen in the world On
 some days 2,500 head of cattle arc
 slaughtered, then treated as to gel
 the finest meat from them, the bones
 and ribs the inteStines, tails, sine ws
 hoofs, and other parts being reserved 1 sor their various uses. But this spec-
 ial meat is subjected to scientific pre-
 paration; it is cooked. to be sure, ir
 a real kitchen. and with the best pos-
 sible care and attention to detail s There are chemists, laboratories, en-
 gineers, and authorities on technica
 matters, all engaged in cooking the
 beef so as to turn it out in the mos
 acceptable form as the well knowI
 and popular extract. The company i.
 organized with system of help to thu
 employees. for improving their physi- cal, material and moral welfare. |
 maintains an almost model city around its factory, and has a reputa- ton for enterprise and fair dealint 1 which gives it an enviable place il the business world"
 Of more interest to the people of tn,
 United States, however is the <ac
 that Uruguay has upwards of 5000, ,01- head of cattle and 2S, 100000 sheep ol its fertile plains, and that it will yer, ! tion as a source of meat supply fo the great republic of the north. Dur ing the first four months of 1914 tn
 United States imported meat to tn value of $1,230752 from Uruguay.
 the months of March and April ma,
 be taken as a criterion the annual i'm
 portation vii amount to about 5000,
 900, and the trade is as yet in it's frs
 stages. With the rise in price of TO , frigerated beef Uruguay can be de
 pended upon being an importan
 factor in the markets of the world
 and instead of converting it's fine cat ] tie into jerked beef as now refrigeratinI , plants will be sending chilled or frozel i quarters to New York by the ship f load. The demand exists now, an
 the only question is. how much cal f ] Uruguay supply? With 37,500, ,00 | acres of it's territory devoted to pas . ture and grazing, the sturdy lit-l ! country ought to cut some consider T able figure.