The Carlisle independent., 1910-06-23

is not best when freshly killed. but should be left hanging for four five days before it is used.
 With few exceptions the early attempts to domesticate elk were made by who were wealthy enough to disregard all thought of profit in raising them. They were usually placed under the care of servants and the bucks were left un- castrated until they became old and unmanage- able. Soon the serious problem of controlling them outweighed the novelty of their possession and one by one the attempts at domestcation. were abandoned
 A desire to preserve this important game ani- nal has caused a renewal of attempts to breed it in confinement and at present there are small herds under private ownership in many places in the United States. The biological survey has gently obtained much information from owners of herds in regard to their experience in breeding and rearing the animals and also their opinions as to the possibility of making the business of raising them profitable Of about dozen sue cessful breeders nearly all are of the opinion that raising elk for market be made remu- neratye if present laws to the sale of the meat are modified.
 One especially important fact has been devel- oped by the reports from breeders. It is that the elk readily adapts itself to almost any environ ment. Even within the narrow confines of the paddccks of the ordinary geological park the ami nal does well and increases so that periodically the herds have to be reduced by sales.
 The fullest reports that have been received by the department of agriculture from breeders of elk from George ". Russ of Eureka Springs, Ark
 MT Russ has herd of 34 elk They have ample range in the Ozarks on rough land covered with hardwood forests and abundant underbrush. The animals improve the forest by clearing out part of the thicket They feed on buds and leaves to a height of eight feet and any growth under this is liable to be eliminated if the range is restricted If not closely confined elk do not eat +To bark frOr rraa do fhevo cat ave Tn clearing out underbrush from thickets they are more useful than goats, since they browse higher. Goats, however eat closer to the ground. and as the two animals get along well together Mir. Russ recommends the use of both for clear ing up brushy land and fitting it for tame grasses.
 The increase of elk under domestication is equal that of cattle. Fully 90 per cent. of the females produce healthy young. An adult male elk weighs from roo to 1000 pounds female from 600 to 800 pounds The percentage of dressed meat is greater than with cattle, but, owing to hostile game laws, experience in mar keting it is very limited. An offer of 40 cents pound for dressed meat was received from St. Louis, but the law would not permit it's export. MT. Russ says:
 From the fact that as high as s150 pound has been paid for the meat in New York city and Canada and that the best hotels and restaurants pronounce it the finest of all the meats of mann mals, we are of the opinion that If laws were such that domesticated elk meat could be fur nished it would be many years before the supply would make the price reasonable compared with other meats. Elk meat be produced in many sections of this country at less cost per pound than beef. mutton or pork"
 Mir. Russ thinks that large of rough lands in the United States not utilized, espe- cally in localities ike the Ozarks and the Ale ghenies, could be economically used to produce venison for sale and he regards the elk as espe- ciaIly suited for this purpose.
 Another feature of MT. Russ's report Is of more than passing interest. He says:
 We find from long experience that cattle, sheep and goats be grazed in the same lots with elk, providing, however, that the lots or incosures are not small; the larger the area the better. We know of no more appropriate place to call attention to the great benefit of few elk