THE WORLD'S MEAT FUTCRE 19 



reached the London market from time to time shewed no real 

 improvement in quality or condition, as compared with arrivals 

 in 1916. In these respects good results are hoped for from the 

 Commission which the Union Government Is reported to be send- 

 ing to Australia and New Zealand, for the purpose of stud\-ing 

 the methods of meat production and preparation fuUowed in 

 those countries. It should be realised by shippers that although 

 high prices were secured in this market for the small consign- 

 ments which came to hand, beef of the riuaUty recently shipped 

 from South Africa would not be veri- acceptable here under 

 normal conditions. 



•'South America. — The total export of frozen and chilled 

 meat from the various South American Republics in 1917 

 amounted to 540.000 tons as compared with 52S.500 tons in 

 1916. and 471.250 tons in 1915. With the exception of the 

 Argentine Republic, all the exporting countries increased their 

 output. 



"Argentine Repuhlic. — The weather of 1917 was generally 

 favourable for live stock, especially in the Province of 

 Buenos Aires, which produces SO 90 per cent, of the beef ex- 

 ported: the animals improved gi-eatly in condition, and were in 

 plentiful supply throughout. The results of the live stock census 

 taken in 1914 have only recently been published, and reveal a 

 serious reduction as compared with the official •"estimates'" 

 issued from time to time. Cattle were returned at 25,866.763 

 head, and sheep at 43.225.452 head, as against 29.116.625 cattle, 

 and 67,211.754 sheep at the previous census taken in 1908. 

 These decreases are somewhat disconcerting, but fortunately 

 the causes which provoked them. viz.. the great droughts of 

 1911 12 and 1913 have disappeared : and the favourable seas»3ns 

 of the past few years appear to have effected a quick recovery 

 in the number and quality of the live stock of the country, par- 

 ticularly in the ease of cattle. This ^-iew is borne out by an 

 official census taken in the Province of Buenos Aires ( the prin- 

 cipal centre of the cattle raising industry ) in 1916. which re- 

 corded an increase in cattle of nearly 25 per cent., the figures 

 being 11.336.513 head in 1916. as against 9.090.536 head in 1914. 

 It is generally reckoned that the number of cattle in the Argen- 

 tine Republic is now about 29.000.000 head, while sheep are 

 estimated to number about 55.000.000 head. 



"The operations of the freezing works were limited by the 

 amount of refrigerated tonnage available, and in some cases the 

 work was interfered with bv strikes, with the result that the 



