Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1904-04-01
ELAhD FOR
NEW MEXICO
Delegate B. s. Rodey Would Like
10 See the Animal introduced
From South Africa
WELL ADAP Ed
Correspondence with the Secre-
tary OF Agriculture Upon
The Subject

That Delegate b, s. Rodey ID active
ID every direction for the welfare OF
New Mexico Is shown by the following
correspondence:
Hon. Secretary 81 Agriculture. Wash
ington. d. c.:
Sir--In the issue Of the Scientific
American Of the 18th instant, find ~
article which / clip and enclose here
with to you. describing the Gland
(Oreas canna), : giant species Of an.
telope.
II seems to me from the description
OF this animal that II might be : good
thing To try TO domesticate Il in New
Mexico. and | send you the clipping
with this suggestion, hoping you may
see your way clear to make . trial.
/ am sure that l could find some
body In New Mexico to care for them.
o they might be put In charge Of
some of the rangers on the forest re-
serves.
with assurances Of my high regard,
i am, sincerely yours,
d. 8. RoDEy,
Delegate In congress from New Mex
leo.
The article referred 10 says:
Another late addition TO the at
fractions Of tho Geological Garden at
New York Ii = fine large Gland
(Oreas canna). the giant species OF an
telope that equals an OK In size, reach.
Ing the height OF nearly or quite six
feet at the withers. For all It's pom.
derous proportions. the Gland Is not an
ungracefuLiooking creature. The ex'
preston is mild and the head Is do
cidedly Of the antelope type, II seems
as though such an animal might hs
domesticated here. as II has been ~
numerous instances In England. The
flesh, when the Gland Is properly fed
Is superior to beef In delicacy AMI flay,
or and certainly an animal that with
out special breeding puts on a weight
OF from 500 TO 1900 pounds or more
Ii worth experimenting with. On,
p~ecularity of this magnificent ANNA
should recommend IL for the grea'
plains OF the southwest. and that \. NJ
capacity for going for a long tint
without water. The ease with which
II Ii reared, lis mild disposition, tn
fact that II breeds freely In captivity
the great value OF its hide as we'll a
Of It's flesh, and the rapid improvement
1t shows under scientific cultivation
NIL conspire 20 increase the regret wit
which we see II rapidly approaching
determination In Iii native county
Few indeed Of the Wild members OF III
order OF hoofcd aniiaals exhibit s
many claims for d~omoslicatlun an
preservation by the human ace. PA
tIcularly Is this the ease IN a countr
like our own. which includes region
reproducing In 40 many particulars II
African continent included in III
range Of these giant antelopcs.'
To the above request Delegate ~
dey received the following answer:
Hon. b. s. Rodey, House Of Repr,
sentatiycs:
Dear sir Your letter OF the i4th II
slant is received, together with the a
complaining clipping (which is her
with retnrned) concerning the giai
antelope. commonly known as u
Gland.
agree with you entirely that n
introduction Of this animal Into Ne
Mexico or Arizona would be IN exec
lent thing In many ways. The Gland
@
about the size ~ our dumcstlrated Ga
tie. It's meat is much priced for foo
and It's hide for leather ! am infoir
ed by the Biological Survey Of this 4
partment that sclaicr and Thomas.
their Book Of Antelopcs state u
the eland Is the largest and finest
the group Of a%nteiopcs. and that
might well become Of great eeonom
Importance TO mankind II proper mes
nrrs were taken FOR rs acclimitas
ton" Two or three subspecies a
recognized. ranging collectively fro
Cape Colony northward into the trc
lcs. Ii living examples from the al
region ~ southern Africa could be
cured. they would be almost certain
10 ven IL some Of the forest resers
On ARIZONA and New Mexico. Tn
have bcen brought 10 numerous =
io1,cai gardens and private parks
Tnefand and continental Euro
ebere they have bred freely and ha
been grestly admired
Tfis department. would be very -