1911 | 214,150| 8,202,750| 332,070| 175,744| 1,661,615| 53,167,086 1912 | 189,523| 9,140,089| 314,694| 197,433| 1,400,748| 56,502,816 1913 | 131,952| 6,848,830| 311,991| 375,392| 658,097| 53,486,761 +---------+----------------------+---------+----------+----------- Totals|4,634,539|122,120,394|13,888,339|2,023,161|77,067,270|617,989,860 +---------+----------------------+---------+----------+----------- £| 919,551| 24,230,236| 2,755,622| 401,421|15,291,125|122,617,022 ------+---------+----------------------+---------+----------+----------- During 1914 the meat producers and importers were alarmed by the purchase of most of the chief River Plate cold storage establishments by United States companies, who were credited with the intention of forming a “combine” to monopolize the industry. Certainly at the commencement of 1914 they were paying high prices to estancieros and selling considerably increased exports at low prices in the British markets. It would appear, however, as if matters were in the course of adjustment between all the River Plate Cold Storage companies when the War came and, as has just been indicated, altered all the conditions of the meat markets. For all the above causes it is difficult to assign a _value_[45] to recent River Plate Meat Exports. Exports which it must be remembered leave no record as having paid _ad valorem_ export duty, since they are duty-free exports. As for the future of this trade there can be little doubt but that it will continue to increase commensurately with the available quantity of live stock of high quality. The Cold Storage Companies will buy no other and thus have constantly encouraged and advanced scientific breeding on the River Plate. It may safely be assumed that this trade is not likely to lose by the occurrence or effects of the War. Recently, in view of what seemed a threatened shortage of cattle for export demands, producers commenced breeding from one-year-old cows; instead of beginning only at two years of age, as formerly was the South American custom. Not only do the Cold Storage Companies export Meat but they also work up into marketable forms the various by-products of the animals they slaughter. [Illustration: ARGENTINE MEAT TRADE 1888-1913 Progress of Exports in the last 26 years NOTE.—As will be noticed from the subjoined tables, the decrease for 1913 was due to a falling off of the exports of frozen mutton and of cattle on the hoof.] [Illustration: FROZEN AND CHILLED BEEF Progress of Argentine Exports compared with the principal exporting countries] CHAPTER XIII FORESTRY