packers may be content with lower prices and willing to secure their profits by operating 

 on a narrower margin with a larger output, I am satisfied that a lucrative trade may be 

 built up to last through a period of years. 



Cumberland Bacon, Hams and Pork Cuts 



Cumberland bacon is cured in practically the same manner as a Wiltshire side. 

 It is, in effect, a side of bacon minus the ham. Cumberland cut bacon is usually 

 made from lighter hogs than are used in making Wiltshire, and is, therefore, perhaps 

 scarcely of as high standard as the latter product. It finds, however, ready sale on the 

 British market. 



Cured hams are also selling freely both in the United Kingdom and in France, while 

 cured pork cuts of other descriptions are being imported in quantity into the former 

 ^country. Fresh pork cuts, however, cannot enter British ports, entry being prohibited 

 under the British sanitary regulations. Were it possible to have these regulations made 

 less restrictive, or should a mutually satisfactory arrangement be worked out between 

 the Canadian Sanitary Service and the Imperial authorities, a very useful market would 

 ;be opened up for grades of bacon, of which export sale is at present either restricted or 

 ^practically prohibited. In 1915, Great Britain imported hams to the value of £5,296,- 

 689 as against £3,068,251 in 1913. Of this 1915 importation Canada furnished £434,485 

 while the United States supplied £4,859,895, or more than ten times as much as the 

 Dominion. 



Frozen Pork. — Owing to the high price of mutton and beef, the demand for 

 fresh pork has increased very greatly during the past year. Large quantities of fresh 

 pork are consumed, being supplied both locally by the United Kingdom and by import- 

 ation from the Netherlands. The frozen article, is now, however, finding ready sale. 

 Light pigs are preferred. Carcasses weighing as low as 90 lbs. each are popular. While 

 the war lasts and possibly for some time afterward, large quantities of pork may be 

 shipped to Great Britain in a frozen condition and disposed of at advantageous 

 prices. In 1915, the importation of this commodity amounted to£435,908, of which 

 the United States supplied £288,524. The total importation in 1913 amounted to 

 only £43,255. 



Canned Goods 



Under this head may be enumerated, canned corned beef, pork and beans, army 

 rations, canned fruits and vegetables, dried vegetables and fruit jams. Enormous 

 quantities of these articles are being purchased by the British War Office and it is 

 understood that the Canadian Department of Militia and Defence is also likely to take 

 considerable orders for use overseas. From what I could learn, for such requirements 

 as are needed, Canada will receive every consideration in the contracts placed, although 

 of course she will be expected to parallel the price quoted in tenders offered by competing 

 countries such as the United States and the Argentine. The importation of preserved 

 and canned beef amounted in 1915 to £10,315,653 as against £2,692,443 in 1913. 



Miscellaneous 



Under this category are included frozen beef for mincing purposes, frozen beef cuts, 

 "hearts, tongues, livers, tripe, etc. Meat for mincing has a special market and for 

 such supply as is required reasonable returns are obtained. Offal of all descriptions can 

 be sold to excellent advantage at Smithfield. The sale of the latter products, if put up 

 carefully according to market requirements, may be made to yield such a revenue as 

 to assist greatly in securing a remunerative return in the handling of carcass beef. It 

 was freely stated, however, and was in fact very apparent, that from the condition in 

 which material of these descriptions arrived from Canada, much improvement would 

 have to be effected before anything better than mediocre prices could be expected. 



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