18 BULLETIX 1089, TJ. S. DEPAIlTME2s^T OF AGKICULTUEE. 



is much room for development in ttie use of these by-product i 

 Under modern packing-house methods, more use will undoubtedly Ij 

 made of many of the parts now being discarded. 



TANNING. 



The native methods of tanning hides in Alaska are primitive ar 

 there is great need for improvement. Since reindeer skins are ri 

 quired for the making of clothing and other uses in the TerritorS 

 it seems highly desirable that the Government provide an expert \ 

 instruct the Eskimos in tanning. [ 



The skins which come from Siberia have a much superior tan, gei 

 erally speaking, than the Alaskan article; consequently large nur 

 bers of hides are imported annually from Siberia by the traders ff 

 sale among both natives and whites. In fact, this trade is so lar^i 

 that it is a considerable item in the list of Alaskan imports. In au 

 dition to the tanned skins, made-up reindeer-skin parkas and othi* 

 articles of clothing are brought over each season. This trao 

 could be saved to a great extent for the natives of Alaska if thr 

 knew better methods of tanning. With the rapid increase of tli 

 reindeer herds it is time to prepare an outlet for all reindeer b; 

 products. 1 



REINDEER MILK. I 



Milk from reindeer is often used in making cheese, butter, etc 

 in other countries where the animals are raised. While the mil; 

 may be valuable as a food in Alaska, the natives and whites ha-^i 

 made no extensive use of it as yet, and at the present time mill! 

 ing is not done in any of the herds. The reasons for this are n( 

 far to seek. In the first place there are no inclosures or oth( 

 means available for holding the reindeer for the purpose of mill 

 ing. Secondly, milking strains have not been developed. 



When the Lapps first came to Alaska they practiced milkin. 

 to a limited extent. They state that when the herds were smaJ 

 it was a comparatively simple matter. The procedure followed wf 

 to drive the herd to some convenient place each morning, wheii^ 

 the animals to be milked were caught one by one with the lass- 

 Each one yielded about a cupful of milk. It can readily be seen thv 

 this practice was neither economical nor good for the herd, an 

 it was soon abandoned. 



If the best milkers were picked and the fawns separated froi 

 them, and in addition if the animals were kept in good fence 

 pastures and properly taken care of, the yield of milk from reii 

 deer could be greatly increased. 



