122 THE WORLD'S MEAT ECTIh'E 



pared with 1917. Tliese remarkable figures show what American 

 stockmen can and will do when called upon in some emergency. 

 The stockbreeder in the United States is not likely to be handi- 

 capped by the Government fixing a maximum i)rice for meat. In 

 fixing a i)rice for fat cattle, should such a thing have to occur, a 

 minimum price slioidd be guaranteed, and the cost of rearing and 

 fattening, of course, taken into account at the time. 



To the ordinary mind "price control" carries with it the idea 

 of keeping prices down, while, as a matter of fact, it is produc- 

 tion and not price that is important at a time like the present. 

 Price control should mean stabilizing and fixing prices on a 

 basis which will insure the greatest production, and thus 

 automatically prices will come down. 



The latest returns published by the United States IJureau of 

 Statistics in January, 1918, estimate the number of cattle at 

 present in that country at 66,830,000 head, an increase of 

 3,100,000 (or 4.9 per cent.) over the previous year's total of 

 63,700,000 head ; and 18.2 per cent, more than the low-water 

 mark in 1913, when only 56,527,000 head were recorded. Slice)) 

 were returned at 48,f)00,000 head, as compared with 48,500.000 

 at the end of 1916. The figures in respect of cattle indicate 

 that steady i)rogress is being made in replenishing the herds of 

 the United States, which had suffered a steady and serious 

 decline for several years prior to the war. 



A well-known writer denies that cattle have fallen off in 

 number since 1907. He gives an increase of 2,000,000, making 

 total 67.000,000 head on January 21st, 1918. 



"In other words, the number of cattle on farms is greater ti)- 

 day than ever before, and this in si)ite of the fact that the 

 number sent to market for slaughter in 1917 was the greatest in 

 the history of the country. It is not generally realised by the 

 public that the record marketings of both 1916 and 1917 have 

 been accompanied by a decided increase each year in the nund);'r 

 of cattle left on f arnLS. ' ' 



In a recent letter to members the American National Ijivcstc-k 

 Association says: — 



During the year 1917 the numlx'i- of cattle sent to marl--"t 

 for slaughter was the largest in histoi-y, and the fact that onr 

 supply on January 1st, 1918, showed a substantial inci'ca-:i'. 

 despite the larger slaughter, is convincing evidence that at 

 present there is no shortage of beef cattle. With the excepticu 

 of 1916, the shipment of hogs to market during 1917 was the 

 largest ever recorded, and the present supply exceeds all pre- 

 vious veai'lv estimates. 



