The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-07-22
URUGUAY AND
 MEAT PROBLEM
First ESztract-o9-Bee9 Factory L.ocaned
 at Fray Bentoss Uruguay.

a
 with porterhouse steak at 50 cents a pound retail as an imminent fact, the beef- eaters of the world are getting somewhat worried especially those who happen to be domiciled in the United states. Argentina. is supplying |sone of her product. but when the enormous total Of Uncle sam's con sumption Is taken into consideration the quantity imported IS not even as much as the proverbiaI drop in the bucket. Where can we look for more meat ?-is the alI-absorbing question
 In this connection it is interesting to note an article In the July number of the Monthly Bulletin of the Pan Amer lean Union, Washington, D. C., in which under the title Of Uruguay as a. Cattle Countrys'' some interesting de- tails as to the live stock industry o1 this rich little republic Of South Amer lea are given
 Something over a hundred years ago the hacendados (ranchmen) Of Uruguay complained to the government that over 45O.o0o head of cattle were being killed annually for their hides alone! The carcasses were thrown to the the vultures to devour. Beef in Uru- quay was so plentiful that it was something of a nuisance evidently. If course that day has passed, but they SIlll nave CerLle enough dOWn there 10 convert some TO, 900 head into 113. .0O0, 900 pounds Of Jerked 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 70o,O00 head Of cattle going into jerk ed beef.
 Again therel are many thousands of TJrug uayan cattle annually converted into extract of beef Perhaps but few lpeople know that the first great fae- ftory for the production of beef extract known to the world was established at Fray Bentcs, little city on the Uruguay river about 100 miles above Buenos Aires. the cosmopolitan capital of Argentine, and that 1t is still doing business '.af the same old stand" al- though the s'stand'' has grown enor- mously larger since the time it be- came the pioneer in the beef-tea indus try. The world vide reputation of this concern is perhaps largely due to the high grade of the cattle Of Uruguay, as well as to the cIean1y and scientific manner of the preparation Of the pro- duct. The writer 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 are slaughtered, then treated so as to get the finest meat from them, the bones and ribs, the intestines tailss sineWs, hoofs and other parts being reserved for their various uses. But this spec tal meat is subjected to scientific prep aratton; it is cooked. to be sure, in a real kitchen, and with the best pos- sible care and attention to detail. There are chemists. laboratories, en-. gineers and authorities on technical matters ali engaged in cooking the beef so as to turn 1t out in the most acceptable form as the well known and popular extract The company is or
 gsnized with a system of help to the
 ennployes, for improving their physical,
 material and moral welfare. It main
 tafns an almost model city around it's
 factory. and has a reputation for en-
 terprise and fair dealing which gives
 it an enviable place in the business
 worId''
 or more interest 10 the people of tho
 United States, however, is the fact that Uruguay has upwards of 5000. 900 head
 of cattle and 29.0oo. 1000 sheep on it's fer be taken into serious considera ton as a source of meat supply for the great l republic of the north. During the first four months of 1914 the United
 $l. 2S0, 752 from Uruguay. If the months
 of March and April may be taken as a. | criterion the annual importation will i amount to about s5.Oo0s 900, and the trade is as yet in it's first stages With I the rise in price Of refrigerated beef I Uruguay can be depended upon as be- Il Ing an important factor in the markets l of the world, and instead of convert I ing it's fine cattle into jerked beef new l Irefrigeratfng plants will be sending l chilled or frozen quarters to New York by the ship-load. The demand exists
 now, and the only question is, how much can Uruguay supply? With S7. . 1 50O.O00 acres of its territory devoted to
 pasture and grazing, the sturdy little l country ought to cut some considerably i figure.