The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1914-04-14

of the Situation-Present Condition
Is Only MISUNDERSTANDING Fields
of Cattle Production.
In a report on the problem of the
meat supply of the country the com
mittee on statistics and standards of
the United States chamber of com
merce reaches the conclusion that an
impartial and careful survey of the
field fails to disclose any genuine
cause for alarm, but rather that ex-
ceSsively high prices and declining sup
plies are but temporary phases of an
economic problem of whose satisfac- /
tory solution there can be no reason
able doubt
The present apprehension, in the /
opinion of the committee, is based |
largely upon the study of partial AMI |
often superficial statistics and the
usual tendency to judge the future by
the events of the last few years alone.
There exists today" says the re
port, "a widespread, but entirely er-
Ioneous. belief that the apparent de-
creasing meat supply of food with Il
steadily increasing population is per-
mament tendency. That. likewise. it
will become more and more accentuat-
cd rs time goes on. with the natural re-
suits of still higher prices of meat and
constantly increasing importations."
A Sporadic Condition.
4 series Of charts is given, based
on the figures OF the Year Book of the
cd at the census dates, 1890. 1900 and
1910. by bureau OF census statistics.
These indicate. according To- the com
mittee, n series of ups and downs
rather than Il steady tendency to de
| crease. While it is true that pOpula-
| ton has Increased steadily during this
| series Of years. yet il is equally true
| that the number of cattle per 100 of
| population is practically the same now
! as in 1870 and this. after all. is the
| cruX of the situation" The recent
! trend. however. as shown by the charts
| is downward and the exports of beef
and mutton products show general
tendency to decrease, while the imports
show the opposite.
In discussing the causes of the short
| age of cattle and sheep, the first one
mentioned is the restriction of the
areas for profitable grazing because OF
cultivation. Then. too. within the past
decade unfayorable weather has been
Il serious factor,
The committee does not believe that
much can be expected from imports Of
beef from Argentina. Australia, Cana
da Brazil or Mexico. In all except the
last named causes similar to those in
this country are operating to decrease
the supply in proportion To population.
To domestic sources. il is believed. peo-
pie must look for any permanent relief
in the future. In these great promise
is found.
Bright Outlook For Home Production.
The Panhandle of Texas is an exam
pie of one of the new and important
sources of future supply. There is an
area of about $4,000 square miles ON
f which are number of windmillS that
, pump up the water at small cost.
| These are fast changing the country
r from vast grazing ranges to number
t of small stock farms on which are
! grown such hardy plants for stock feed
rs milo maize. Kaffir corn, cowpeas and
also alfalfa. The comparatively small
size of these farms makes it possible Il
protect the live stock against billiards.
The indications are that greater mum
Der as we'll as Il better quality of cattle
will he raised than when the plains
were vast ranches. In addition, the
large and steadily growing areas under
irrigation in many parts of the weSi
and southwest and the dry farming
will afford opportunity for stock rails
ing
In the states farther east. where tn,
rainfall can be more depended on. tn,
raising of stock on the farms is becom
ing not only matter of direct profit
but one of the essentials of prope
farm management
But the promise Of the greatest new
source of supply. in the committees
1 judgment, comes from the southern
] states The only obstacle to thu
! south's becoming the ideal cattle sec
ton is the Texas fever tick. This i!
8 being overcome.
4 Hog raising also offers great prom
q Use. These animals can well be raiseC
on small farms, and the forces tina
j tend to make cattle raising more dith
4 cult render the raising Of hogs easie
Il and more profitable. Hog cholera
which was the active factor in redue
ing the supply of these animals. is nov
easily controlled.
With sheep it is another matter. an,
8 the committee does not think the ont
& look so encouraging. Much will de
pend it says. upon whether it is foun,
profitable to raise sheep and lambs 70
meat supply, with wool only as a by