THE DECREASING MEAT SUPPLY 267 



monopoly of the business now offers would be mini- 

 mized. 



By this universal extension of the industry a multi- 

 tude of small abattoirs, controlled by the towns and 

 small cities, would arise, which, while they could not 

 compete in absolute efficiency and economy in the 

 handling of meat animals, would have the advantage of 

 handling them near the points of consumption. We 

 should not look forward to a period when the killing 

 would be done on the farm; this is too wasteful and 

 too cruel; but we could look forward with hope and 

 enthusiasm to the establishment of the small abattoirs 

 of which I have spoken. It has been my good fortune 

 to see some of these small abattoirs under municipal 

 control, and I have found them clean, sanitary and 

 efficient. There is also a benefit to agriculture in hav- 

 ing the abattoirs scattered all over the country. The 

 offal, the blood, the tankage and the refuse of the abat- 

 toir make excellent fertilizers, and these could be pro- 

 duced in the localities where they are needed. 



ENCOURAGE THE SMALL FARMER TO GROW MEAT 

 ANIMALS. 



Every effort it seems to me, therefore, should be put 

 forward to encourage the small farmer to grow meat 

 animals. If this is not done, the realization of the ideal 

 of the local butcher of steak at $1 a pound may not be 

 very remote. 



On the other hand, meat animals controlled by a few 

 immense corporations do not obey the usual law of 

 demand and supply. The problem is a difficult one, 

 but if meat animals are to be increased in proportion 

 to the number of population, they must be grown by 

 greater numbers of people and under conditions which 



