been made as of June i." This statement indicates only a small de- 

 crease in the actual number of cattle during the past ten years, but 

 this decrease is significant when the present demand is taken into 

 consideration. 



RATIO OF CATTLK TO POPULATION 



Altho the cattle of the United States have increased numerically 

 by decades up to the present time (with the probable exception of 

 the last few years), their number has not kept pace with the grow- 

 ing population during the last two ten-year periods (see Table 2). 

 In 1890 the number of cattle was equal to 84 percent of the popula- 

 tion, while in 1910 it was at most no higher than 75 percent, and in- 

 dications are that the ratio is rapidly diminishing at the present 

 time. The number of cattle as compared with population is more 

 striking when it is considered that while the number of cattle in 1910 

 at best may have been on a par with the number in 1900, the popu- 

 lation between those same years increased 21 percent and there is 

 little tendency toward an abatement in this rate of increase. How- 

 ever, the most recent reports indicate that the number of beef ani- 

 mals is on an actual decrease at present. 



TABI,E 2. RATIO OF CATTLE TO POPULATION, 1870 TO 1910 1 



iBased upon Abstract of the I3th Census, pp. 24, 316; U. S. Dept. of Agr., 

 Yearbook 1910, p. 630; Abstract of i2th Census, p. 32. 



2 Based upon Bureau of Animal Industry figures. Total cattle per capita for 

 1900 was .58, for 1910, .75 ; cattle other than milch cows per capita in 1900 was 

 .36, in 1910, .51. 



RATIO OF 



PRODUCTION TO SURPLUS 



A natural consequence of the decline in the relative number of 

 cattle as compared with population has been a diminution in both 

 the relative and the actual surplus of beef cattle and beef products. 

 Comparing the annual value of cattle other than milch cows with 

 the annual value of exports of beef cattle and beef products at ten- 

 year intervals, we find a marked decline in the percentage value of 

 the surplus, and it is evident from the following table that in this 

 country the consumption of beef has practically overtaken its pro- 

 duction. 



