El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-10-02

VA With the continued high cost
of beef and mutton which,
with pork. comprise the staple meat
supply of the nation, comes the need of
considering the possibilities of adding
to the varieties of meat now upon the
market az in an increased supply lies
the main hope of a reduction in price.
There is sad to 1;v less variety in the
meat menus of the average American
hcHc than IN that of most other ma
items and this fact is largely RESPONSE
Die Tor the nigh prices of the staple
Perhaps the newest addition to the
meat supply Of the country would be
| tine use OF hippopotamus meat if these
me the use OF hippoPotamus meat II
acchmated to American soil This
idea is credited to senator elect
Broussard, of Louisiana, who is anxious
to have some hippopotamf imported
from Africa and placed in some of the
streams of his state. He believes that
they could perform valuable service in
ceanlnS out the hyacinth SrOwths
/ which obstruct the streams, as the wa
Ter hyaclnth Is favOTite food of the
big water beasts. After they have been
established here senator Broussard sees
no reason why they should not also be
used for food since natives in Africa
believe h1ppopotamus- steak a dainty
worthy of any epicure
Raise Game for Food.
A number Of farmers in the western
states are becoming keenly alive to the
poSsioiltles OF raising elk and deer as
a substitute for beef and mutton and
are urging a modification of the game
laws of their respective states TO make
possible the killing of these animals as
they are needed for food Owing to the
abuses of the privileges of hunting a
generation or more ago many species
of game were in danger of becoming
extinct and laws were needed to pre-
vent this. Now, however, it has been
demonstrated that by intelligent propa-
cation, both by states and by private
enterprise, many of our depleted ranges
can be restocked with big game and
that this process, with proper laws for
its utilization, will add materially to
the food resources of the country.
A number OF varieties of deer and elk
have been found capable of breeding
under semi domestic conditions. One
of these is the Rocky Mountain elk
which, next to the moose, is the largest
of the American deer. Its range origin
ally extended as far east as the Adiron-
dack mountains and western New Jer-
Sey, soutnWard as far as the lower
AlleShenies and northern Texas, New
Mexico and Arizona. and westward as
far as the Pacific coast. Now the range
has become so limited that the animals
are found in only a few scattered 10
calities outside of the Yellowstone
national park and the mountainous
country surrounding 1t. Smaller herds
still occur in Colorado western Mon
tana, Idaho, eastern Oregon and in Ger
tain parts OF Washington and northern
herds there are growing number in
private game preserves and parks, as
we'll as in nearly all of the geological
gardens of the country. The herds in
captivity form the nucleus from which
under wise mana cement some of the
former ranges Of this animal are being
restocked SO that a profitable business
may be built up from raising elk veni-
son for market.
Demand for Elk Meat.
The flesh of elk, although coarser and
~ rrl,-- -. -
spects superior to other venison and
there arc now several large ranches in
the west where the raising of elk has
assumed such proportions that ii can
be supplied in considerable quantities.
If the increase continues there is no
/ reason why it should command its pres
duced with much less care and expense
1 after the herd is once established, than
can either beef. or mutton.
According to the reports of the few
now engaged in the industry. the elk
adapts itself readily to almost any en-
VirOnment and does well even in COM
! paratively narrow confines Their in
crease is fully equal to that Of cattle.
\ number OF other species of deer. it
is believed, may be easily bred to fur
nish meat in commercial quantities
4 The Virginia or white tailed deer, which
is the common deer of the United
States, can be raised in most parts OF
the country and according to the expe-
rience of a number of breeders. can be
easily domeSticated. 1t has been found
profitable upon some of the large
I western ranches to turn deer or elk into
! lection to the sheep and usually eat
much of the same food. although they
| browse upon shrubs which are cut of
reach of the sheep. In this way they
have an added use in clearing brush
rom land.
Breed Rabbits For Market.
A few years ago there was a craze
for breeding Belgian hires as a meat
supply and like many other fads il soon
ran itself out. While wild rabbits have
always been utilized to some extent in
the United States, especially during the
cold part of the year. they have never
been used as a food here to the extent
! they have in England. where the home
Warrens and farms are CraWn upon to
their fullest capacity. and in addition
from 1900 to 5000 tons are imported
! annually. partly from the continent
and, partly from Australia and New
Zealand.
When the Belgian hare fad was first
started 1t was believed that it would
create an entirely new food supply, but
when it was found that the much talked
OF Belgian hare was in reality but lit
tie superior to the ordinary rabbit the
business almost collapsed. Now with
the need OF an increased meat supply.
attention is again being directed to the
/ value OF the rabbit. Breeding rabbits
! for market is again becoming popular
and the bureau OF biological survey of
( the department of agriculture is giving
additional attention to the development
; OIL the stock and the best means OF
I caring for il. In England rabbits COM
mand about the same price g s poultry
/ and it is believed that by degrees it
I may be possible to popularize them to
| almost the same extent in this country
! During the past year there has been a
! great increase in the number of rabbit
/ breeding farms established here.
More Goat Meat Is Sold.
Despite much prejudice. which the
animal does not altogether deserve.
there is a growing amount of goat meat
( sold in the United States for food. and
I the number of goat herds. especially in
I the southern states. is also Increasing
/ There are now estimated between two
! and three million goats in this country
/ according to a recent animal census.
/ This includes the common variety and
I also the Angora goats of which there
! are about a million. These last how
ever. have little to do with the food
! supply, as they are being bred CHIEFLY
! for the mohair wool which is produced
! from their fleece. The common goats
/ are raised also for their hide but
J. this does not prevent the utilizs ton of
; the meat as food If properly prepared
/ From the earliest Biblical history. the
! meat of young kid has been consid-
! cred delicacy, and no one who eats
! IL now can deny its flavor and qualitv
MlDE the No--nc- kids which ~co1