The Journal of Heredity 
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ON THE TRAIL, PILGRIM RIVER, ALASKA 
The grading up of the reindeer into larger animals producing more meat can be readily brought 
about by crossing them with the native caribou from the interior of Alaska. Plans for scientific 
breeding have already been begun by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The progress and use- 
fulness of the reindeer in Alaska have greatly impressed the Canadians, and their government 
has undertaken a study of the industry with a view to its development in its own extensive 
grazing areas. Photograph by Lomen Bros. 
EXPORTATION OF REINDEER MEAT AND 
SKINS 
The reindeer industry in Alaska has 
already reached a stage where it more 
than supplies the local demand, and 
exportation of meat and skins is being 
conducted by the firm of Lomen & 
Company. 
The principal difficulties encountered 
by this company have been the neces- 
sity of making long, expensive and 
hazardous drives, in order to bring the 
animals to shipping points, equipped 
with cold storage plants (Nome, Kee- 
walik and St. Michaels), and shipping 
the carcasses thence to market. Refrig- 
erator boats have also been few and 
far between. 
To relieve this situation this com- 
pany is now building two additional 
cold storage plants, one at Golovin 
and one at Egavik, and plans are made 
to build at other stations in the near 
future. Under the present conditions 
the season’s shipments will not exceed 
(Fig. 10.) 
two thousand carcasses, averaging one 
hundred and fifty pounds each. Each 
year will see this quantity largely in- 
creased, depending quite as much upon 
the improvement in shipping facilities 
as on an increase in the growth of the 
herds. 
A reduction statistically of the live 
stock of Sweden into “cattle units’’ 
gives the following result: one head of 
horned cattle is estimated as equal to 
two-thirds horse,=ten sheep, = twelve 
goats, = four pigs, = five reindeer. These 
units are interesting for purposes of 
comparison. 
The reindeer industry will go far to 
solve the meat problem of the country, 
to reclaim the waste places of the 
territory, and help to conserve to the 
hunter and the epicure the wild game 
animals. All of which is of the greatest 
importance, considering that reindeer 
meat, or venison, is equal to, if not 
superior to all other venison, and a 
splendid substitute for beef and mut- 
ton. 
