======================+============================= | Heads of Cattle for every | 1,000 inhabitants. |---------+----------+-------- | Cattle. | Sheep. | Horses. ----------------------+---------+----------+-------- Uruguay Republic | 11,299 | 32,485 | 846 Argentine Republic | 5,464 | 27,955 | 1,868 Germany | 375 | 595 | 80 Spain | 185 | 1,404 | 43 France | 307 | 646 | 77 Italy | 130 | 324 | 37 Great Britain | 292 | 946 | 86 ======================+=========+==========+======== The rather cruel experience acquired during the crisis of the year 1890, the effects of which are still to be felt, has opened new ways to the economical activity of the country, and has given a new impulse to all agricultural pursuits. Notwithstanding the scarcity of capital and the difficulties of the ways of communication, the cattle feeding has improved a great deal, with the sowing of hay and pasture of all kinds, and with the crossing of the best varieties cattle imported from Europa or bred in many important national farms. The improvement of the varieties, in order to obtain better flesh, fat, milk, butter, wool and hides, and the taming of all the native animals, is absolutely necessary, and therefore is a powerful attraction for those who would come over to this country and dedicate themselves to cattle feeding and breeding, being sure, beforehand, of getting good profits by exporting live animals and also dead animals, by the frigorific system, to the Brazilian and European markets. The last two years have not been very favorable to cattle industry; but the present year shows itself as if going to be very propitious to that industry, which is in such a perfect harmony with the excellent qualities of our natural fields and meadows. Here, no pest, no contagious disease is to be feared for the cattle. The forage and water are wholesome, nutritive and pure; the climate cannot be better. With such conditions as these, it will be easily understood why cattle industry gives a profit of more than 20 per cent. and why it is generally a sufficient compensation to the scarce production of the bad years produced by an excessive dryness or a transitory diminution in the consumption of Brazil and Europe. Slaughter in the Saladeros. KILLING SEASON IN THE KILLING GROUNDS. There exist various _saladeros_ or killing grounds in the Department of Montevideo and along the coasts of the Uruguay. Some of them are very important. There they dry the flesh, prepare the _tasajo_ or dried meat, salt the hides, burn the bones and elaborate extracts of meat. To prove the importance of the _faena_ or killing season in those establishments in the Republic of Uruguay, we give the following comparative table: