8 RAISING DEER IN THE UNITED STATES. 



family, most promising for experiments in meat production, and 

 relates successful experience in different sections of the United States 

 with the wapiti, or Rocky Mountain elk, and with the Virginia deer. 

 It discusses the relation of game laws to the business of growing 

 venison — a business which, it is believed, with proper encouragement 

 may be made highly profitable, especially since it will be the means 

 of utilizing much otherwise unproductive land. 



IMPORTANCE OF DOMESTICATING MAMMALS. 



The question of practical benefits to be derived from domesticating 

 more species of mammals than we now have is by no means settled. 

 It is claimed by some that the present list of domesticated kinds is 

 ample for all economic requirements of the- human race ; that, so far 

 as beasts of burden are concerned, we already have enough suited to 

 every necessity; and, furthermore, that mechanical ingenuity is fast 

 bringing us to a time when fewer kinds will be required. As to 

 food animals, we are told that the excellence of our beef, pork, and 

 mutton leaves nothing further to be desired. For clothing, it is said 

 that the wools and hairs produced by mammals already under do- 

 mestication amply supplement the vegetable fibers. 



On the other side, we have the argument advanced by the French 

 zoologist, E. Trouessart, to the effect that mankind should now make 

 every effort to domesticate as many species of mammals as possible. 

 He argues that in the course of time the extensive use of electricity 

 and machinery must inevitably exhaust the coal, petroleum, and 

 natural gas from the earth's crust, and that mankind will again be 

 forced to rely largely upon the labor of animals. He urges immedi- 

 ate action because of the imminent danger of extermination of some 

 of the species.® 



Between these opposite views a middle ground may be maintained. 

 Admitting that we have enough beasts of burden and as great a 

 variety of animal food as the actual necessities of man demand, we 

 still find excellent reasons for desiring to increase the number of 

 species under domestication. While it is neither necessary nor de- 

 sirable to domesticate every mammal possible, the field for choice is 

 large. Preliminary to choosing a species its ultimate usefulness 

 must be considered. In reply to the oft-repeated argument that it 

 takes so much time to develop a domestic species that the probable 

 economic advantage will be overbalanced by the enormous expense 

 required, it is enough to recall the fact that many wild animals show 

 remarkable adaptability to the conditions imposed by domesticity. 

 Canada geese, for instance, reared from the eggs of wild parents 

 and kept with barnyard fowls show hardly any trace of wildness. 



° Bulletin de la Societe d'Acclimatation for 1900, pp. 33-52, 1900. 



