34 BULLETIN 769, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
merit of Agriculture/ only such points as have a direct bearing upon 
the increase in our supply of lard Trill be mentioned here. It is esti- 
mated that the number of hogs slaughtered in 1917 was about 
1,000,000 less than during the preceding year. Allowing 14 pounds 
of lard per hog butchered, this would mean that 14,000,000 pounds 
less lard were produced in 1917 than in 1916. Actual returns made 
to the Food Administration by the packing houses show that 
218,170,000 pounds less lard (not including neutral) were made in 
1917 than in 1916. Such a situation is, of course, very serious, espe- 
cially under existing conditions. The United States Department of 
Agriculture, in conference with many of the State agricultural insti- 
tutions and farmers, however, set 15 per cent as the minhnum 
average increase in the production of hogs for 1918, and there is no 
reason why we should not secure this increase. Probably very little 
lard is wasted in the packing houses, where every effort is made to 
obtain as large a yield as possible. It is true, however, that if com- 
mercial conditions were different and the boards of trade recognized 
any grade of lard except prime steam more of the output of the 
packing houses might be converted into kettle-rendered lard. While 
this would not increase the total production appreciably, it would give 
us more of the better product and the value of the by-products, crack- 
lings, and tankage would lower the expense of making the lard. 
We must look then to the small butcher and the farmer for more 
pounds of lard per pound of hogs slaughtered. Just the little extra 
effort required to press the cracklings from the rendering kettle in a 
simple hand press would insure a greater saving of the pure fat from 
the various parts of the hog. The housewife in her own home can 
play an important part in decreasing the consumption of lard by 
saving the trimmings from ham and fresh pork, trying them out, 
pouring off the clear grease, and grinding up the cracklings, for use 
in place of the straight lard in making corn bread, muffins, and other 
hot breads. 
TALLOW. 
PRODUCTION AND EXPORTATION. 
According to the best available figures, the United States in 1917 
produced some 259,500,000 pounds of tallows, as the fats from sheep 
and cattle are called. Although this figure includes mutton tallow, 
the greater portion represents beef tallow, for many more cattle than 
sheep were killed in 1917, and the yield of fat from a steer is, on an 
average, 50 pounds as against 1 pound from a sheep or goat. Ac- 
cording to data recently submitted to Congress by the Federal Trade 
Commission, the rate of slaughter of cattle has increased 30 per cent 
i U. S. Dept. Agr., Office of the Secretary Circular &L 
