The Economic Introduction of the Kangaroo in America [pp. 164-169]

The Kangaroo in America.
lian trade. These showed no inconvenience from the weather.
These instances show their hardy
character, and we have seen how prolific they are, even in captivity. So
we have sufficient practical testimony
to dispose of Professor Shelton's opinion as to the possible inability of the
species to withstand the American climate. I should say that a climate
and environment could be provided in
this country equal to that of its native
habitation.
From the foregoing we find that this
peculiar Australian representative of the
ruminant order: (I) Is easily domesticated;
(2) Breeds readily in captivity;
(3) Is easily maintained;
(4) Has excellent andabundantflesh,
of a very edible kind;
(5) Is extremely valuable as a furproducer;
(6) Makes excellent sport when at
large;
(7) Can be bred and reared on an extensive, inexpensive scale, by simply
fencing in a tract of land "not suitable
for other stock"
(8) Becomes easily and throughly
acclimated, and is quite hardy;
(9) Can be procured very easily and
cheaply.
These facts are worth knowing. And
seeing that the native ruminant of the
American plains is defunct, it would
seem as if we have, ready to hand,
another, and at the same time peculiar,
representative of the ruminant order,
when we so desire, to populate our useless Western areas. Besides their undoubted economic value in flesh, fur,
and "foot-wear," (the last commonly
appreciated throughout America,) the
greatest accommodation they have is
their adaptability for the utilization of
tracts of country useless for other stock.
In our Western States have we not
boundless areas of such land, the stocking of which by any remunerative process would benefit the country at large?
There may come a time when it may be
found more profitable to raise kangaroo
than even cattle on the "arid" ranches.
Look, too, at the success of ostrich
farming in California,- such a tender,
expensive subject as that bird is. The
kangaroo is a hardy animal. Its products are all valuable and find a ready
market. The introduction of the ostrich
was a novelty and a success in this country. The introduction of the kangaroo
would be no less novel, and r believe no
less successful. Let this new industry
therefore be recommended to those interested in the development of regions
useless for other kinds of stock, but
which could be made thus easily to earn
a most welcome increment by this
means; at the same time providing a
species of sport of a most novel kind for
the legitimate American sportsman.
Robert C. Azuld.
1892.]
169