130 ANNUAL, REPORT OF THE3 Off. Doc. 



to be a very beneficial provision. It is to be hoped that some such 

 law may be adopted by the next legislature. In case it is adopted, 

 a thoroughly competent man, conversant with and skilled in the prin- 

 ciples and practices of horse breeding, should be employed to ad- 

 minister it. Such a representative of the State could render great 

 service to horse breeders and do much to restore this industry to 

 its proper position. 



The importation from other states of 20,000 to 30,000 dairy cows 

 annually show the need of and the opportunity for the production 

 of more dairy cattle upon the farms of Pennsylvania. The splendid 

 home market for pork, and for mutton and the large areas available 

 for animal husbandry that are not now in use, or that are not fully 

 utilized, speak for the opportunities that exist here for the develop- 

 ment of this important part of the States' resources; and the de- 

 pleted farms and exhausted fields that may be seen in so many places 

 speak for the need for the invigoration of the soil, that accompanies 

 a thriving animal industry. By means of animals there may be de- 

 rived from the surface soil of this State an income as great as that 

 derived from coal and that may continue year after year, and century 

 after century, long after the coal fields have become exhausted. 



MEAT INSPECTION. The Federal Meat Inspection service has 

 recently been greatly extended, at the instance of the President, 

 and following the disclosures in regard to the unwholesome condi- 

 tions existing in the packing houses in Chicago. The present Fed- 

 eral Meat Inspection service provides for the inspection of all of the 

 products of slaughter houses and meat canning establishments doing 

 foreign or interestate trade. 



No meats, or meat food products are permitted to pass from one 

 State to another without inspection by Federal authorities, except- 

 ing the products of animals slaughtered by farmers on farms (which 

 it would be manifestly impossible for the Federal service to cover) 

 and the meats transported interstate by retail dealers supplying 

 their customers. 



Under this Federal Meat Inspection service, a few slaughter 

 houses in Pennsylvania are subjected to rigid supervision. These 

 are the large establishments engaged in interstate trade. The pro- 

 ducts of these establishments, and also the meats coming into 

 Pennsylvania from other states, are, therefore, under careful Fed- 

 eral inspection. But the great mass of slaughter houses of Penn- 

 sylvania are not engaged in interstate trade and so do not come 

 under Federal inspection. And at least 55 per cent, of the meats 

 consumed in this State are prepared in such uninspected slaughter 

 houses. 



It is evident that there is a large local industry in home dressed 

 meats, an industry that supports a very large number of people and 

 that provides a market for a large number of meat producing ani- 

 mals raised or fattened on farms in Pennsylvania. This is an in- 

 dustry that means a great deal to the agriculture of the State. 

 Without it, the market for meat producing animals would be less- 

 ened and the profits of farming would be greatly diminished. More- 

 over, this local meat slaughtering industry is the only protection 

 we have against unfair prices for dressed meats. If it were not for 



