BUREAU OF BIOLOGICAL SURVEY. 355 



FUR FARMING IN ALASKA. 



All but '2 of the 10 islands off the southern coast of Alaska under 

 the supervision of the bureau are under lease for fur farming. The 

 lease on Chowiet Island was canceled at the recjuest of the lessee, 

 and no favorable consideration has been given to applicants for 

 Simeonof Island, as it is already occupied by natives and others. 



Reports received from the lessees of the eight other islands indicate 

 that nearly all are meeting with varying degrees of success. Blue 

 foxes continue to be the chief animals farmed on practically all 

 islands, although a few fur farmers experimenting with black foxes 

 apparently are meeting with success, and a few small attempts are 

 Deing made to farm martens. Fur farming in Alaska is still mainly 

 confined to the southern and southeastern coast and adjacent islands. 



For the purpose of securing definite information regarding the 

 condition of the fur-farming industry with a view to helping build 

 it up, the chief fur warden, accompanied by the bureau's fox-farming 

 expert, has been making a reconnaissance along the southern coast 

 with the power boat Sea Otter, gathering information to serve as the 

 basis for a publication on fur farming in the Territory. Through 

 cooperation with the Forest Service, which issues permits for fur 

 farming on islands within the Tongass and Chugach National For- 

 ests, arrangements are being made for meetings of fur fanners in 

 the Territory during the fall of 1922 for the purpose of conference 

 and organization. 



Fox farming is increasing in the Aleutian Chain, where permits 

 for the use of suitable islands are still being issued free to natives 

 and at a nominal charge to others. Seventeen permits were issued for 

 islands in this chain during the year, making a total of 56 now in 

 effect. Several permits for islands were canceled on recommendation 

 of the bureau's representative at Unalaska, some permittees having 

 died and others having failed to make use of their permits or having 

 attempted to transfer them without a})proval. The natives are en- 

 couraged to use all suitable islands for the propagation of foxes. 



A bill now pending in Congress, if enactecl, will authorize the 

 Secretary of Agriculture to lease all islands or other unoccupied 

 Government lands lying outside of Government reservations in 

 Alaska or issue permits for grazing or fur farming on them. Fur 

 farming in the Territory is already becoming an important industry 

 and can be made still more profitable by suitable legislation for the 

 protection of those engaged in it. 



The experiment of propagating martens in the Territory has not 

 yet met with much success. Only one of the nine individuals holding 

 permits reports progress. Several have discontinued their attempts, 

 and it is probable that the successful propagation of these animals 

 will be slow in developing. Discovery of the mating season of mar- 

 tens at the experimental fur farm in New York should be helpful in 

 this connection. 



THE ALASKAN REINDEER INDUSTRY. 



Satisfactory progress is being made in the reindeer work begun 

 by the bureau in July, 1920. As a result of the investigations already 

 made by the scientific staff stationed at Unalakleet (where the experi- 

 ment station was first located), the manuscript for a department 



