UTILISATION OP RIVER PLATE BEEF. 121 



so that there may be as little matter in the body in a state 

 of ' transition ' as possible, as that which is unformed, as 

 well as that which is in a state of abnormal waste, is prone 

 to decomposition, and will not take the salt, nor be pre- 

 served by it. The carcass should be cold, not only before 

 it is salted, but also before it is cut up. There can be no 

 doubt that it would be materially benefited by being 

 ' hung ' to bleed and cool before butchering. 



The usual process here is to cut up or ' butcher ' the 

 animal immediately it is killed and flayed. When the 

 flesh is supposed to be cold, it is cast into brine-tanks, and 

 goes through two or three courses of washing and soaking 

 in brine, being transferred from one brine-tank to 

 another, and pressed, as it is stated, with the view of 

 extracting or forcing out all the blood. It is, in fact, 

 ' lixiviated ' before being dried or packed, as the case may 

 be. Under such a process it may be easily enough under- 

 stood, from the explanation given in this paper of the 

 effects of salt-brine and lixiviation, how little nutritious 

 matter remains in the meat when the process is completed. 



Some of the older cattle fed on the ' strong ' pastures 

 which are found in districts in Buenos Ayres, in the 

 Banda Oriental, in Santa Fe, &c. and on the ' alfalfares ' 

 of San Luis, resist to a certain extent this process ; and if 

 driving is avoided, and the animals carefully killed, &c. a 

 sound article can be obtained, containing always a certain 

 amount, more or less, of nutriment. There are two or 

 three parties working on this principle near to the feeding- 

 grounds of the cattle. They have produced an article 

 certainly much superior to others ; and if they can so 

 arrange as to diminish to the lowest point the waste from 

 travelling and excitement, and be more particular in 

 killing and butchering, they may still further improve 

 the quality of their production. 



