MINOR FUR-BEAEING ANIMALS. 63 



amount of food for the animals in the vicinity, and questioned whether 

 it would not be possible to have fishing sites set aside for their use. 



James McPherson, of EUamar, occupies Peak and Naked Islands, 

 Prince William Sound, for fox-farming purposes. It appears that 

 the original stock consisted of four blue foxes secured from the Alaska 

 Commercial Co. and put on one or the other of these islands in Octo- 

 ber, 1897. From records at hand it would seem that this farm has 

 produced a considerable number of foxes annually for many years. 

 For instance, from 1900 to 1910 the number of foxes raised each year 

 averaged about 70. Subsequently there was a falling off for a few 

 years. This was followed by a rise, about 90 being raised in 1915, 

 about 85 in 1916, and about 60 in 1917. 



W. C. L. Beyer and Thomas Davis placed 12 blue foxes, 7 females 

 and 5 males, on Fairmount Island, north shore of Prince William 

 Sound, in October, 1917. These operations are in a way a renewal 

 of earlier ones on the part of Mr. Beyer, who states that he started 

 work on the island in 1895 with five pairs of blue foxes. He was 

 obliged to leave the island in 1904 and subsequent dependence upon 

 hired help apparently demoralized the business. From other records 

 it would appear that Fairmount Island was occupied for fox-farming 

 purposes as early as 1897 or 1898. 



J. D. Jefferson, Valdez, in April, 1917, placed three pairs of blue 

 foxes on Bald Head Chris Island and three cross foxes on the Dutch 

 group of islands. All these islands are in Prince William Sound. 

 No increase was expected the first season. In November, 1917, the 

 stock was reported thriving. 



Additional information in regard to fur farms will be found in the 

 review in this report of fur farming in southeastern Alaska, also in 

 the section in regard to islands which may be leased by the De- 

 partment of Commerce for the propagation of foxes and other fur- 

 bearing animals. 



REVIEW OF FUR FARMING IN SOUTHEASTERN ALASKA. 



In the corresponding report for 1916 '^ there were published ex- 

 tracts from a report submitted by Inspector Walker in regard to fur- 

 farming possibilities in southeastern Alaska. Mr. Walker continued 

 his work of collecting data, and extracts from a subsequent report 

 submitted by him are printed below. The report had reference to 

 conditions and possibilities existing in southeastern Alaska, and was 

 based on studies made and information obtained there, and the 

 reader is cautioned against applying the conclusions to Alaska gen- 

 erally unless warranted by other information. Furthermore, it must 

 be borne in mind that the business of fur-farming in Alaska, except 

 perhaps in a few instances, is far from being established on a paying 

 basis; that present-day operations are largelv experimental; that 

 the ultimate success of the business is not fully assured, and that 

 statements made in regard to the future are largely deductions of 

 individuals. Extracts from Mr. Walker's second report follow: 



The history of fur farming in southeastern Alaska is, with one exception, a history 

 of failures rather than successes. The questions that naturally follow are: "WTiy has 

 almost every attempt resulted in failure? Is it because the region is not suited to 

 the enterprise? 



o Bureau of Fisheries Document No. 838. 



