370 CATTLE AND DAIRY FARMING. 



showing that it came from Mastricht. The fraud was revealed at once, 

 and I was relieved at once, because I knew that good butter is very dif- 

 ficult to keep fresh for any length of time, and that if the butter had 

 been of American origin that the chances were that it was either arti- 

 ficial or that it was rancid. I mention this matter only to show the De- 

 partment to what an extent we must fight against the unfair methods 

 that are resorted to in order to create a prejudice against us, I am de- 

 termined that these prejudices shall have no foundation in this consular 

 district. . If any American should, on. the other hand, contribute to- 

 wards these prejudices by importing an article that would have that tend- 

 ency. I want to expose him at home. 



AMERICAN PRODUCTS FOR BELGIAN CONSUMPTION. 



We can supply meats, butter, eggs, poultry, &c., to the markets of 

 Antwerp and Brussels cheaper than it can be supplied from France or 

 Holland by 3 or 4 per cent, on the pound. I mention these two places 

 because Antwerp is the entrepot for Belgium, and places in the interior 

 generally supply themselves with foreign commodities from there, and 

 hence it is to this place that the principal efforts for the introduction of 

 American articles must be directed. It would be well to extend those 

 efforts to Brussels, as a large surrounding area draws its deficiency in 

 provisions from that city, and many merchants doubtless go there that 

 do not go to Antwerp. 



PRESERVATION OF MEATS AND VEGETABLES FRESH. 



Dr. Clossett of this city has invented a means of preserving the fresh- 

 ness of meats and other provisions which may be of great service to our 

 exporters in these articles. I have asked him for a statement of the 

 merits of his process, which I herewith inclose. He has secured pat- 

 ents for this process both in Europe and America.* 



GEO. C. TANNER, 



Consul. 

 UNITED STATES CONSULATE, 



Verviers and Liege, October 13, 1883. . 



BELGIAN AND DUTCH MILCH COWS. 



REPORT BY CONSUL WILSON.* 



Befemng to my dispatch No. 17, September 15, and the fetes given 

 during jhe past summer upon the occasion of the semi-centennial anni- 

 versary of Belgian independence, wherein I described somewhat the 

 commercial maritime history of Ghent, and the installation of the new 

 basin and docks, I continue the subject by some descriptive comments 



*Tlie statement here referred to, concerning the preservation of fresh meat, and a 

 valuable paper on farming in Belgium, also transmitted by Consul Tanner, will be found 

 in the supplement. 



t Consul Wilson, writing from Nantes, under date of December 17, 1883, represents 

 that no material of any account on which to base a cattle report exists in that dis- 

 trict, and refers to his report on the dairy exhibition at Ghent in 1881, which, being 

 most apropos to this work on the cattle breeds of the world, is herewith republished 

 from Consular Report No. 15. Some valuable tabulated statements, together with 

 appropriate illustrations, not published before, are inserted in the report in its re- 

 published form. 



