HOME MARKET 103 



reach a degree of fatness beyond that desired by the 

 local dealer in fresh meats. That is to say, the local 

 butcher who supplies the trade in small cities, and, for 

 that matter, the bulk of the trade in large cities, cannot 

 handle to advantage cattle that have been fattened to 

 a high finish. Such cattle carry too much waste fat. Of 

 course, no consumer, rich or poor, wishes to pay for 

 waste fat. On the other hand but relatively few under- 

 stand that the highest quality of beef is impossible with- 

 out considerable quantities of waste fat. The wealthy 

 consumer demands a choice grade of beef. To get it he 

 is obliged to pay for some waste fat, which is sometimes 

 delivered, but more often remains at the market. 



Selling cattle to the local butcher is most often 

 resorted to with a few odd cattle by large cattle feeders 

 who wish to cull them before shipment, or by small cattle 

 feeders who have but a few to sell. When we observe, 

 however, that according to the best figures obtainable, 

 nearly one-half the cattle slaughtered in the country 

 are slaughtered by local butchers or at small markets, 

 the importance of this branch of the industry is evident. 



