328 Report on the American and Canadian Meat Trade. 
in buying young steers from the small farmers than in rearing them. Those 
purchased, as a class, are not very good, but the price paid is small. This 
will gradually change, and the more rapidly if the demand for the better 
classes continues to increase. 
"The prices named doubtless seem to you very small. I have given them 
in our currency, but the change is easily made ; one ' cent' is worth very nearly 
a halfpenny ; five dollars of our currency are not far from your pound. In 
thinking of these prices, you must bear in mind that our lands are compara- 
tively low-priced, and that Indian corn is produced at a very small cost. In 
this vicinity — say this county — much of the land is worth no more than $3O00 
to $4000 per acre ; some considerably less than the lower figure. Com can 
be produced for, say, from 20 to 35 cents per bushel of 56 lbs. of shelled corn. 
A steer weighing 1500 lbs. will have eaten about 100 bushels of corn. This 
has been fed to him unground, unshelled, and often unhusked ; the stalks, if 
they have been kept in good condition, being valued as not far inferior to hay. 
The only other food has been grass in summer, and a little hay in bad weather 
in winter. This steer will be worth, here, from $75 - 00 to $90'00, and will 
give a good profit. Or a steer, two years old, then in flesh, may be purchased 
now for about $30"00, weighing, say, 900 lbs. During the summer he will 
be grazed, and next winter will be fed, perhaps 35 or 40 bushels of corn, and 
be sold either during the winter or in summer for about $6000 or perhaps 
$70 - 00. These cattle are not stall-fed. Some have very little shelter, but the 
careful farmer will provide sheds for them. 
" I have not spoken of the great extent of productive lands lying west of us, as 
in Kansas and the vast area of Texas. In much of this further west, the only 
disadvantage is the greater distance for shipment, to counterbalance which they 
have much cheaper lands, and produce corn even more cheaply than we. Of 
course the Texan cattle are driven long distances before they are shipped by car. 
"My own view has been, that this business of the shipment of dressed 
beef and mutton would continue to extend until it reached very great propor- 
tions. I have not felt, however, that it would prove so serious an obstacle 
to your farmers as many of them seem to have thought. I do not expect 
the shipments of live-beef cattle to increase to anything like the same 
extent ; there are greater risks to be run, and greater costs to be borne. I 
think it very probable that we shall have a great increase in the amount of 
dressed beef transported by cars in this country from the west to the east. 
The experiments with the so-called 'refrigerator-cars' seem to promise good 
results. They are now largely used for the transportation of butter, cheese, &c. 
Only to-day I notice the arrival at Chicago of a car-load of beef, shipped from 
Western Kansas, and arriving in good condition, with only one change of 
ice. The weather, however, it is fair to say, is cool, even for the season. 
" Special cases, if fairly reported, may be of more interest than general 
statements. Here I give the following bit of our own experience. Yesterday 
we sold at Chicago 16 steers, fattened on the University farm. The average 
weight at Chicago was 1331 lbs. They sold for $5 - 30 per cwt., or $70 - 54 
each. It is usual to add some 50 lbs. as the shrinkage of a steer by being 
-carried to market. On the 1st of January these steers averaged, at the farm, 
1170 lbs. They were then valued at 3j cents per lb., or about $41 - 00 each. 
Deducting expenses of sending to Chicago, and we have about $27'00 as pay- 
ment for food and labour. They have eaten less than 40 bushels of corn each, 
their only other food being corn-stalks and a very little hay. We are now 
grazing 50 steers to be fed next winter, or perhaps sold in fall, as grass fed, if 
we find it profitable. 
" If there be any other information I can give, I trust you will call for it. 
" With much respect, yours truly, 
« G. E. Morrow." 
