URUGUAY. 



623 



In proportion to the population the number of live stock is enormous. 

 According to tbe tax returns for 1883 there were in the Republic the 

 following: Horned cattle, 5,967,634 5 oxen, 92,767. 



SLAUGHTER OF CATTLE AND EXPORT OF BEEF. 



The inquiry very naturally suggests itself, What becomes of the in- 

 crease of such immense herds and flocks of cattle and sheep (8,000,000 

 cattle, 20,000,000 sheep) in a country containing only 700,000 inhabit- 

 ants? 



The greater part of it is thus accounted for : 



Of horned cattle (home meat supply), in which is included the beef fur- 

 nished to the respective naval squadrons in Monte videan waters, .head. . 502, 000 



Live cattle exported per annum 102,000 



Killed in saladeroa (slaughter-houses) per annum 704,000 



Total 1,308,000 



The exportation in 1883 showed as follows : 



Jerked beef or dried meat pounds.. 76,706,770 



Pressed meat do.... 3,326,751 



Extract of meat do.... 1,099,630 



Grease .- do 37,601,739 



Tallow-skins do 11,547,590 



Artificial guano (refuse meat, bones, &c.) do 9,000,000 



Hair e do 3,250,102 



Cow-hides * number.. 1,638,730 



Living sheep do 142,000 



These saladeros (literally, salting places) are peculiar to the river Plate, 

 especially to Uruguay and the Argentine Republic. In the vicinity of 

 Montevideo there are nine saladeros, the principal one being that at the 

 " Cerro " (little mount), across the bay from the city, where, according to 

 Mulhall, 200,000 head of cattle are killed annually, and he states that 

 "when the wind comes from that quarter the smell in Montevideo is 

 disagreeable." I must say that I have not as yet experienced this dis- 

 agreeable smell, nor can I find any one who has. 



On the river Uruguay there are a dozen or more of these saladeros, 

 including the famous Liebig Extract of Meat Company. There are 

 from 600,000 to 700,000 head of cattle slaughtered at these saladeros 

 every season, besides a vast number of sheep, and from 50,000 to 80,000 

 mares. " The hides, tallow, grease, and other products of these estab- 

 lishments," says a recent writer, u involve the turning over annually of 

 2,500.000 to 3,000,000." 



