RETAIL MARKETING OF MEATS 43 
the other hand, in some of the more thickly settled rural sections 
meat peddling has decreased, because the improvement of roads and 
the widespread use of the automobile have favored the development 
of the retail shop in towns and villages by making possible a larger 
patronage. 
Competition of peddlers is often a disturbing element in the busi- 
ness of retail shops. Because peddlers frequently slaughter animals 
before being sure they can sell the meat, the local market is often 
glutted, sometimes compelling a reduction in price by both peddler 
and dealer to a point below actual cost. An additional handicap is 
placed upon local retailers where farmers, without license or pay- 
ment of fees, are permitted to sell fresh meats on the streets of a 
town where the local retailer pays a license fee. Most cities, towns, 
and villages do not assess the farmer peddler, and a number of States 
have laws rendering it impossible for any incorporated city, town, or 
village to collect a tax or license fee from farmers engaged in 
peddling their own products. 
MEAT CLUBS 
Meat clubs, or u beef rings," are local organizations of farmers for 
the purpose of supplying their members with fresh meat, particu- 
larly in the summer months. The meat club is an extension of the 
prevalent country custom of exchange at butchering time. It con- 
sists of a larger group, for slaughtering fresh meat and distributing 
it to members in quantities that can be consumed while fresh by 
the average family. The number of families in each club usually 
varies between 16 and 40. 
To obtain information regarding the prevalence of these clubs, 
a questionnaire was sent to 1,683 county agents and a more thorough 
study was made of certain districts. In 787 replies received from 
county agents, clubs were reported in 32 counties and none in the 
remaining counties. Page County, Iowa, reported approximately 20 
clubs, Montgomery County 20, and Shelby County 40; Warren 
County, Ky., 15; Maury County, Tenn., 4; Travis County, Tex., 12, 
Colorado County 15, and Burleson County 6. In the remaining 24 
counties in various States in which they were reported to exist, the 
number varied from 1 to 3 in each county. The total number report- 
ed was 165. The total number in the entire country with a continued 
existence of at least two or three years probably does not exceed 300. 
In some sections an increase in the last five years was reported, but 
usually there was no change. 
OPERATING EXPENSES AND PROFITS 
COLLECTION OF DATA FROM THE TRADE 
For this study of operating expenses and profits in the retail meat 
trade, the data were obtained by examination of the accounting 
records of retail dealers by a group of accountants. The number 
of dealers with adequate accounting records was extremely small. 
Concerns whose operations are so large that it is entirely impossible 
for the owner or manager to keep in touch with the details of the 
business, as chain-store systems and individual concerns with turn- 
over of perhaps $100,000 per year or more, must keep fairly complete 
