The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1909-01-12
ABOUT DEER.
Possibility Of Maintaining Them for a
Great Supply.


The United States Department of Ag-
riculture has issued an interesting bull
letin pointing out the economic-possibil-
ity Of raising deer and elk, and main
tanning them in a quasidonresticated
state as a sourse of food supply. In
cidentally it is shown that the by.pro.
ducts of the deer sbattoir may be profit
ably used in various manufacturing in
dustries.
IL is the view of the bulletin writer
that by means of intelligent game pro-
pagation both by the State and by pri-
vate enterprise many OF the depleted
ranges could be restocked with big game'
thus making vast tracts which are now
practically lying in waste valuable food
producers The flesh of the wild deer
closely approaches that of the best quail
ity of beef and mutton, and while now
regarded as special delicacy owing to
ite scarcity it would become staple ar.
ticle OF diet if freely offered in the mar
ket in competition with the present mea
supply. Experiment has shown clearly
that the three great divisions OF the GER
vide family, the common deer, the elk
and the reindeer, breed normally when
in a condition Of partial domestication.
Even within the circumseribed space af-
forded in Rochester's public parks the
small herds Of deer, elk and even
buffalo have naturally increased. IT.
believed, and with apparent reason, not
only that the food supply will be cheap
and greatly increased by the partial
domesticstion Of members of the deer
family but that they can be raised at
less expense and with less care than
ordinary domestic cattle. The rapid ma
tural increase and the minimum Of arti.
fetal food and care required would, il is
believed. render the business extremely
profitable.
The desire for association with DOM
estic cattle on the part Of deer has fire.
quently been demonstrated. Once freed
from the fear of man, their natural and
hereditary enemy they nnngle freely
and from choice with farmers herds. in
some portions Of New England deer are
often found feeding even in farmyards,
close to human habitation
Regarding the effect of game laws on
the raising Of deer for profit the Depart.
ment bulletin has this to say.
Instead Of hampering breeders by re-
strictions as at present State laws
should be so modified as to encourage
the raising Of deer, elk and other ami
mails as source of profit to the
individual and to the State. Safeguards
against destruction and sale of wild
deer In lace Of domesticated deer are
not difficult to enforce. For this pur
pose system of licensing private parks
and Of tagging deer or earcassses sold
OF shipped SO that they may be easily
identified is recommended. Ii il believed
that with favorable legislation much
otherwise waste land in the United
States may be so utilized for the
production of venison as to Yield profit
able returns, and also that this excellent
and nutritious meat instead of being
denied to 90 per cent. Of the population
OF the country may become as common
and as cheap in our markets asamutton.r
Any plan that win increase The meat
supply of the country, and bring this
class of food within the reach oil the
mss at reasonable prices should not
be hampered by laws which would
against the raising and mark
citing of food producing animals. With
IN honest motive to better conditions
equitable laws could Be framed which
would benefit producers, consumers and
also the man behind the sporting rifle
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle.