THIRD ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART IV. 189 



is possible for animals to dress. This is shown by the recent victory at 

 the International Live Stock Exposition; on foot, and by the block test at 

 Ames, where Thistle dressed out no less than 69 per cent net to gross 

 weight. To most of the young men who enjoyed the privilege of viewing 

 these carcasses the sight must have been novel and interesting. From the 

 time of this exhibit they will possess different ideas on the subject of beef 

 production and the lessons learned cannot but benefit them in their future 

 work on the farm. They have seen how the different cuts are selected 

 how quality is appraised, that good beef is marbled with fat, what pro- 

 portion the cheap cuts bear to the high priced ones, how the fore quart- 

 ers weigh out compared with hind ones, how the tallow of a well fed, 

 early matured beast looks, compared with that of a tough old canner, and 

 we expert also have learned how good beef feels. The latter is a point 

 sometimes forgotten in teaching the business of judging meat, but the 

 skilled meat cutter can tell, by merely running his fingers lightly over a 

 freshly cut rib roast, exactly what class it belongs in and how it will 

 'eat on the table." The trained finger tells the grain of the meat and that 

 silky quality that is only found in well fed, choice young meat. 



Each evening during the ten days the students gathered in a mass 

 meeting for lectures and general discussions. 



While the work in this course can in no way be equal to the train- 

 ing given in the longer course, it does broaden the one who can come, 



Carcass of Angus fiteer, Thistle, killed during 

 beef dressing demonstration at Ames. 



