70 QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAT. [1 Jury, 1898. 
must have getting on to 40,000,000, for she had 23,000,000 six years ago, and 
the development has been rapid. In 1895, Argentina sent to us 12,213 ewt. 
of “beef preserved otherwise than by salting,” the United States of America 
sent 253,261 ewt. of the same, and Australasia 171,000 ewt.—a very respect- 
able quota indeed. Roughly speaking, nearly all this came from Queensland 
and New South Wales, in the proportion of two-thirds ot it for the former 
and one-third for the latter. It may just be noticed in passing that figures 
recently issued show that in 1897 the exports of live cattle from Argentina 
were 238,121 head, or 144,418 fewer than in 1896. At the same time the 
frozen beef export increased from 2,997 tons to 4,241 tons. But as there was 
a decrease of 9,668 tons of jerked beef, as compared with the exports of 1896 
from Argentina, the result is that in 1897 the aggregate exports of beef 
altogether show a considerable decline. Now stock in that country have been 
much improved by the large purchases of English bulls, and it is apparent that 
the trade was checked by cheapness here, whilst probably there has been, by 
reason of the improvement of stock, an appreciation of value over there. It 
would appear that Argentina will eventually send the bulk of her beef here as 
chilled meat of high class. J will place the other beef exports to England of 
these countries and colonies side by side for the same year :— ; 
Cattle. Fresh Beef. 
1896. 1895. 
No. ewt. 
Argentina... oon 200 ... 65,708 23,384 
United States ak - ... 393,548 1,649,473 
Australasia ... 2 on 32 502,168 
Queensland, especially, with her large surplus of cattle, has developed the 
meat extract trade considerably, and that this is so is largely due to the fore- 
sight of Mr. C. G. Tindal and Mr. Tooth, two of the pioneers of the Australian 
preserved meat industry. The former’s name is identified with the celebrated 
Ramornie brand, and he has latterly devoted much of his attention to the 
extract trade. From Queensland alone in 1895 there were exported 474,746 lb., 
valued at £43,000. There is one advantage about the extract trade, too, that I 
may notice. Tinned and preserved meats have dropped in value by reason of 
the great development of the fresh meat trade. Extract does not enter into 
competition with either. It has its own market; it is sui generis; it is the 
luxury becoming the necessity. 
A. great many colonists are looking at the trade with longing eyes, and 
there is something of a rush into it in the colonies referred to because of the 
manifest advantages. There is all the more danger of the trade being injured - 
by loose methods of manufacture. ‘The trade can no more afford this than 
could the dairy trade, and it is of the utmost and absolute importance that 
Australian “ extractum carnis” shall earn and maintain the highest character. 
The utmost care in manufacture is necessary, for one ounce spoiled by burning 
affects the whole bulk. ‘There must be the latest machinery for cutting the 
lean meat, hydraulic pressing, perfect cleanliness, perfect command over the 
temperature of the buildings and apparatus, cleanly and quick disposal of the 
offal, fat, &e., and no accumulation of the meat awaiting treatment. The beef 
must be freshly killed, mature, but young beef fed in good condition so as to 
carry the maximum of lean flesh. Cattle over three years of age, and not 
over four years, are, in fact, the best for the purpose, and are those from which 
the maximum quantity can be made. ‘The meat is stewed by steam (I use the 
word in preference to “ boiled’’) in a jacketed vessel, and the concentration of 
the clear soup is generally done in vacuum pans. Every detail is of the 
utmost importance. An essential point is the cooling of the meat after 
' killing, and, asin the dairy, a perfect command of the temperature is needed. 
Meat chopped and laid aside in bulk very soon begins to “change.” A first- 
rate extract cannot be made except from the best, cleanest, and sweetest meat. 
None other but the best is wanted in England. The business lends itself to 
the co-operative method among stockowners supplying the extract factory, and 
