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:
ANIMALS KILLED IN THE SALADEROS.
| Years. | Argentine Repub. | Uruguay Repub. |
| 1876 | 551,443 | 625,457 |
| 1877 | 662,500 | 527,600 |
| 1878 | 572,500 | 677,026 |
| 1879 | 539,000 | 556,500 |
| 1880 | 491,500 | 665,500 |
| 1881 | 399,000 | 576,170 |
| 1882 | 434,500 | 738,500 |
| 1883 | 365,100 | 704,400 |
| 1884 | 316,800 | 853,600 |
| 1885 | 610,700 | 647,029 |
| 1886 | 480,900 | 751,067 |
| 1887 | 327,208 | 499,554 |
| 1888 | 467,450 | 773,449 |
| 1889 | 701,400 | 708,923 |
| 1890 | 764,000 | 642,100 |
| 1891 | 844,600 | 613,500 |