Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1921-04-02
AID BREEDING
OF RENDERS
United States Plans to Make AMI
NAL important Factor in
Meat Industry.
TRY TO DOUBLE HIS WEIGHT
Alaska Has 100000 Reindeer With
Range for Several MilIions-multi'
ply From Original Importation
Of 1880 in % Years.

Of 1880 in % Years.
Wnshington.-Sant Claus reindeer
have promise OF becoming IA factor In
the meat supply of this country as
they are In Scandinavia, where rein
deer meat last year sold AT higher
price than beef or mutton The gov
eminent Is going TO aid In putting the
infant Industry OF Alaska on its feet
by experiments In increasing the rein
decr's weight to about double the pres
ent average by scientifically breeding
them, locating ranges and studying the
animals diseases. parasites and graz
ing problems. Provision Is made In
the agricultural appropriation bill Of
this year for that purpose.
Alaska Has zoe, 900 Reindeer.
DIR. +. W. Nelson, chief of the bio
logical survey. In urging the appropria-
ton. told congress there are about
2OO.OOO reindeer In Alaska, of which
about three-fourths belong TO the ma
tives and One-fourth to the govern
ment and to white owners who have
started commercial industry In grow
ing reindeer for meat. These rein
deer multiplied from an original i'm
portatlon of 1,2s0 animals made Is
years ago for the benefit of the Is
kmos.
People have asked me what the
future of the industry Is likely to be-"
snid DIR. Nelson. Il have replied by
asking them the question: IL l,"S0
reindeer in % years produced the
present 100000 animals, what is like
~ to be the Increase from 100000 ami
mails In the next % yearsT The in
crease is almost unbelievable. In 9th
er words, the industry. properly han
died. should have great future.
"The Alaskan firm which has started
the industry exported 1900 head to
Seattle last year. The firm has es'
tablshed four small cold storage
plants at points on the Alaskan coast
where the reindeer can readily be
driven down for slaughter TO be re-
frigerated and loaded for shipment.
II believe Alaska contains available
range to maintain from four 10 five
million of reindeer. The estimate has
been made that Il would take care
OF 100000. but think that Is too
high.
Five million reindeer would give
an average output of about l,25OOO
reindeer n year. Dressed for market
an animal now averages $50 pounds
Taking this weight and the present
value Of reindeer meat, the fully de-
velopcd reindeer industry In Alaska
should yield approximately Si3.OOO,WW
year. Reindeer have been In Alaska
% years and their increase under
crude methods OF handling has been
almost startling. Under proper scicn-
tific supervision and modern methods
the Industry should develop very rap
idly.
May Use Caribou for Breeding.
There are big herds of wild caribou
about the Mount Mckinley region.
some bulls of which dress up 10 about
400 pounds. We plan to capture some
bulls of this stock and use them with
an experimental herd of reindeer cows
for the purpose of building up high
er grade of reindeer, having greater
weight and increased hardness. be-
lleve II will be practicable In less than
ten years To have the reindeer of Alas
ka running from $50 to 300 pounds
to the carcass, instead of 100 pounds
as nj present.
THE increased weight would in
crease the value of the fully developed
Alaska reindeer industry enough to
bring the potential output around &c.,
100000 NJ present value That is more
than the fisheries Of Alaska produce.
"StefansSon. the Arctic explorer,
was here recently :" Is interested
In the lease granted By the Canadian
government for great area for rein
deer grazing In Bafin'S bay region. He
infv. med me that In the Scandinavian
countries Of Europe about 2O0,OO rein
deer are killed for meat each year.
1--WE are talking about helping to
build up Alaska, and here is one thing
that is right In sight today. line.
big industry. and do not know of any
other Ike II In the immediate future.
The future looks so promising that
the expenditure which we contemplate
Is triiling compared with what the
outcome is likely to be"
His Purse Returned.
New Albany, lnd.-Dr. John r.
Wea,hers of this city has recovered
a nnrsn continuing Sol In mnnnv md