The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1911-04-01
Texans Hope to Produce One at
Reduced Cost.
with Muntjac Deer Of india founda-
tion viii Be Laid for Animal
That VIII Thrive in Lone
Star State.

Star SEarGs
Galveston. Text have believe
for long time that Texas could pr
duce food animal that would com
into more general use than any a
present to be found on the farms ant
ranches of the state" said Mr. LIE,
Mountfort. MIR. Mountfort has q ranci
In the vicinity OF RobstoWn, Nuece.
county, and has for some time past
he says, been conducting experiments
In animal breeding II have beer
watching the work of Luther Burbani
for long time," Mr.. Mountfort con
s1nued, and 1t gave me the idea that
am at present working out. OF
cours, cannot hope to do in the ami
NAL kingdom what Burbank has done
with fruits. but the main principle
underlying both our efforts is to de
fermine what product Is necessary
how the present product is to be i'm
proved upon, and then work out the
jine OF Improvement.
Now take the case OF meat I'm
Texas, For years Texas has been
considered O. cow country, SO far as
meat was concerned. Recently the
breeders have been affected by the de-
mand for hogs to the extent that hog
raising has predominated. Sheep are
also raised. But there is need In
Texas for food animal that is small
er than the cow, hog or sheep, and
bigger than the domestic hen or the
rabbit. which is SO easily killed on our
ranches. The meat supply of the av-
erage ranch la at present drawn
from the smokehouse, and while there
are few Texans who will decry ba-
CON and ham as a diet. there are also
few but will admit that fresh meat
il better, when it can be obtained.
There are not many farms where
sheep, for example, can be killed fire.
quently and easily used before some
OF It spells. This is even more true OF
beef. The hogs are killed at one time
of the year and the meat necessarily
preserved. How. then, is the problem
to he met? Obviously not by develop
ment OF any of the existing species of
animals now indigenous to Texas. We
must have a new breed. II we can't
create 1t 1t must be imported There's
my chain OF reasoning in a nutshell.
Il looking about for some animal
that Is good for food and that will
thrive In the climate of southwest
Texas. have read a great deal of
various breeds. can find few ami
mails that are more suitable, to my
view, than the little-known sMuntjac'
deer of India. This animal Is a beau
tiful little creature and Is only about |
81 or % inches In height. 1T has small
horns, but is not combative. or large
enough to be dangerous. 1t Is similar !
TO the sheep In its diet. feeding upon |
any kind Of heritage. The
meat from the muntjac, / understand, |
10 OF delicious favor, and possesses |
that slight gamey taste that makes
the epicure prefer venison to almost
any other meat.
As view the situation, the bring
ng to the country of small mammal
u this size Is Of enough Importance to
Justify some little expense After
linking it over, have arranged with
me of my friends, Capt Richard Wat
ION of the tramp steamship Punjaub,
o bring me some The Punjaub on
Ter present trip is to go from Cape
Town to Calcutta, and can obtain the
nunt1ac there. I have asked him to
'et several pairs, eight or ten If pos
ible to accommodate them, as several
viii doubtless die on the trip. But
With those that survive hope to lay
he foundation for a brand new breed
4 farm food animals in Texas.
u have heard that q breeder in cent
raj Texas has been raising Virginia
eer for the past four or FIVE wears. q
nd has made something of a success
( the breeding. The venison finds a
sady sale. and the skins have little !;
itifculty In finding a market. AL
lough this animal is somewhat larrer (
ian the one | have In mind, 1t ought
lso to be developed In the state. This
irginfa deer is also known as the
fi1ite tail, and Is able to live In prac-
cally any part of the country. if IN |
IL colder climates 1t IS given d GER II
an amount of attention In winter. /
BIO breed b unusually prolific. ana Ia