Report on the American and Canadian Meat Trade. 319 
China hops, and realises large prices both for breeding and butcher animals. 
A talented Scotchman, Mr. William Watson, late of Kellior, Forfarshire, is 
manager at Durham Park, and that fact alone is sufficient testimony of how- 
affairs are conducted." 
I have hitherto said little or nothing ahout American sheep ; 
nor, indeed, is it necessary to refer to them specially, hecause 
the same conditions apply to them as to cattle. I may, how- 
ever, remark that mutton in the States is not held in as high 
estimation, as an article of food, as beef is. In many sections of 
the country sheep are kept for the wool-crop only, the mutton 
being unsaleable. Hitherto a comparatively small quantity of 
mutton has been exported to England. The Americans will 
now, however, turn their attention to improving their sheep, 
with a view to their value as mutton as well as wool, and we 
may expect after a time to receive large quantities of trans- 
Atlantic mutton as well as beef. Cotswolds and Border Lei- 
cesters are said to do remarkably well in America. 
In January of last year there were 27,870,700 cattle in the 
United States, and as they had been increasing since 1873, it is 
safe now to assume that there are at the present time, in round 
numbers, twenty-eight millions. Of these there will be at least 
six millions annually available for slaughter. If we allow 
these to weigh 700 lbs. each, net — which is certainly not too 
high an average for American fat cattle — we have a total of 
4,200,000,000 lbs. of beef per annum available for human food ; 
or 95 lbs. per head of a population which is now estimated to be 
forty-four millions. 
Of sheep there are now, in round numbers, thirty-six millions. 
Of this number there will be, say one-third, or twelve millions 
annually available for slaughter ; and if we allow these to average 
70 lbs. each, net, we have a total of 840,000,000 lbs. of mutton, 
or 19 lbs. per head of the population. 
Of pigs there are twenty-six millions, more or less. Of this 
number there will be, say twenty millions annually available for 
slaughter ; and if we allow each pig to weigh 140 lbs. net, we 
have a total of 3,640,000,000 lbs., or 82 lbs. per head of the 
population. The figures stand thus : — 
Annually available 
for Slaughter. 
Net Weight of Flesh 
in lbs. 
Average in lbs. 
per Head 
of Population. 
Cattle .. .. 
6,000,000 
4,200,000,000 
95 
Sheep 
12,000,000 
840,000,000 
19 
Pigs 
20,000,000 
3,640,000,000 
82 
38,000,000 
8,680,000,000 
196 
