410 



Canadian Forestry Journal, October, 19/9 



MUSK OX AND REINDEER INDUSTRY 



A commission has been appointed to mvest- 

 igate the possibihties of the Canadian North 

 as a permanent meat and wool producing area. 

 The commission consists of Dr. J. G. Ruther- 

 ford, railway commissioner, Ottawa; Messrs. 

 J .S. McLean, manager, Harris Abattoir Com- 

 pany; J. B. Harkin, commissioner of Dommion 

 Parks, and Vilhjamur Stefansson, explorer. Dr. 

 Rutherford is appointed chairman. The com- 

 mission is expected to report with the least pos- 

 sible delay upon the feasibility of the propos- 

 itions mentioned in the memorandum which 

 follows, together with recommendations in re- 

 gard to the best methods to follow to bring 

 about efficient development in case it is found 

 conditions warrant action on the part of the 

 government. 



The Memorandum. 



Special attention has recently been directed 

 to the potentialities of the Arctic and sub-Arctic 

 regions of Canada as a grazing country. It is 

 represented that in these regions there is an 

 abundant growth of vegetation in the summer 

 which forms nutritious food for grazing animals 

 in winter as well as summer. It is estimated 

 that there are at least a million square miles 

 of such grazing grounds in northern Canada. 

 The winter climate of these areas is too severe 

 for ordinary domestic cattle, but musk ox and 

 reindeer can graze there in the open the year 

 round. The dimensions of the reindeer in- 

 dustry in Lapland and in Siberia and the great 

 development of the reindeer herds of Alaska 

 suggest that corresponding development can 

 reasonably be anticipated with respect to nor- 

 thern Canada. In this connection it is pointed 

 out that herds of barren land caribou aggre- 

 gating, it is estimated, twenty to thirty million 

 animals frequent northern Canada, and that 

 biologically these animals are practically iden- 

 tical with reindeer. 



Vilhjalmur Stefansson, the Arctic explorer, 

 is convinced that the musk ox can be readily 

 domesticated and has urged that steps be taken 

 in that connection with the object of develop- 

 ing herds for commercial purposes. 



The development of large reindeer and musk 

 ox herds in northern Canada will represent a 

 very important addition to the meat production 

 of the Dominion. The development of musk ox 

 herds will represent not only an addition to the 

 meat production, but also to the wool produc- 

 tion. The value and attractiveness of reindeer 



flesh for food jjurposes is well established. In 

 regard to musk ox meat, Mr. Stefansson claims 

 it is practically indistinguishable from beef. 



In all parts of the world there is a constant 

 reduction of grazing areas for field crops and 

 in consequence the meat and wool problems are 

 every year becoming more acute. 



The Arctic and sub-Arctic regions of Canada 

 lie too far north to be included in the lands 

 suitable for the profitable cultivation of cereals 

 and therefore may be regarded as permanent 

 grazing areas. 



In view of the foregoing the Minister con- 

 siders that there are good grounds for believ- 

 ing that the Canadian North may become a 

 great permanent meat and wool producing area 

 and that a commission should be appointed for 

 the purpose of making a thorough investigation 

 into the subject from a business and national 

 standpoint and to report their finding. 



DISAPPEARING FOREST WEALTH 



In France and Germany there was established 

 many years ago a system of reforesting. The 

 law in both of these countries provided that no 

 tree could be cut down without another being 

 planted. Otherwise they would have long since 

 been reduced to the condition of China with its 

 alternations of sun-scorched plains and devas- 

 tating floods. 



During the war the forests of France have 

 suffered severely, being either destroyed by the 

 enemy or used by the French themselvs for war 

 purposes. The timber supplies of Belgium and 

 Great Britain have also been to a large extent 

 consumed. 



All of these countries are dealing vigorously 

 with the problem. They know that forests are 

 an economic necessity, and are proceeding to 

 replace the loss as fast as possible. 



Unlike British Columbia, they do not propose 

 to leave nature to do the work unaided. They 

 doubt the efficacy of trusting to luck, without 

 the intervention of human effort. They are 

 putting forestry experts on the job, and giving 

 them large sums to spend. 



Which system is the better? Must British 

 Columbia wait until its forest wealth is depleted 

 before taking adequate measures and imitating 

 the example of these older communities, which 

 have already learned by experience? 



— Vancouver Sun. 



