DISTRIBUTION OF CATTLE. 161 



DISTRIBUTION OF NEAT CATTLE IN THE UNITED 



STATES. 



WORCESTER SOUTH-EAST. 



From the remarks of the Secretary. 



The Census Reports for 1840, 1850, and 1860, furnish the 

 data from whence certain " facts " have been eUminated. The 

 first great law established is, that the ratio between the number 

 of the people and the number of the neat cattle must always be 

 the same, whether the population be ten millions or twenty mil- 

 lions. This will be seen, when we consider that neat cattle 

 are kept principally to supply the demand for beef, butter, 

 cheese and milk. These articles being consumed wholly by the 

 people, the demand becomes a constant quantity, and therefore, 

 if supplied, the ratio must be constant. By the census of 1840, 

 it was found that there were 87 neat cattle for every 100 inhab- 

 itants ; by the census of 1850 there were 79 neat cattle for 

 every 100 inhabitants ; and by the census of 1860, there were 

 81 neat cattle for every 100 inhabitants. Assuming that there 

 should be 80 neat cattle for every 100 inhabitants, as being a 

 near approximation to the truth, from the same statistics we 

 learn that of these there must be 8 working oxen, 28 milch 

 cows, and 44 other cattle. But without the discovery of another 

 law these facts would be of small practical benefit ; we should 

 not know where the demand for neat cattle existed, or from 

 whence the demand could be supplied. 



The deficiencies or excesses only generally and vaguely 

 known to exist somewhere, led to no practical solution of the 

 difficulty. It was agreed that Massachusetts, to supply the 

 demand for home consumption, had to purchase and transport 

 for long distances, from beyond her borders, large quantities of 

 beef, butter and cheese ; but just how much it required to 

 satisfy the demands of her people, beyond home production, or 

 from where the constant diminution of home supply was to be 

 complemented in future, were problems which remained to be 

 solved. The census of 1840, showed that Massachusetts had 38 



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