66 ALASKA FISHERIES AND FUR INDUSTRIES IN 1919. 



islands much too small for the purposes mtended or too near other 

 land, and to improper or inadequate feeding or none at all. 



Fox farming follows two methods, impounding or corral breeding, 

 and free-range or island breeding. Under the corral method, propa- 

 gation has proved decidedly unsuccessful in most cases, not so much 

 in actual breeding but in the rearing of young and the preservation 

 of parent stock. Confinement in pens, necessarily of very limited 

 dimensions, has- two noticeable effects on foxes. Being accustomed to 

 freedom in their movements, its denial either makes them vicious or 

 morose. In the one case, they become fighters, destroying their 

 young, their mates, and companions of the same sex; in the other, 

 their time, night and day, is spent in a continual search for a way of 

 escape, which if not found increases their misery and is often not ended 

 until death supervenes. 



Island breeding has been very successful when seriously under- 

 taken. A prime requisite is area great enough to afford considerable 

 range to the foxes and sufficiently distant from other land to prevent 

 their escape. An ample supply of food is also necessary, for underfed 

 foxes become cannibalistic, or puny and weak, if not diseased. If 

 the natural food to be found on the island is not sufficiently abundant 

 to properly sustain the animals, the deficiency must be supplied by 

 the efforts of the fur farmer. His energy in this direction will probably 

 determine the degree of success or failure which will attend his labors. 

 Foxes at liberty on suitable islands will take care of themselves just 

 as long as food is ample and they are not crowded. In the end 

 intelligent management is indispensable to successful results. 



From time to time the Bureau receives information from the fox 

 farmers in Alaska regarding their experiences and success or failure, 

 much of which may be of general interest and benefit to all fur 

 farmers. Among those who operated in 1919 and filed reports are 

 the following: 



Sholin Bros. & Co., of Homer, report encouraging results in the 

 rearing of silver-black foxes in corrals. At the beginning of 1919 they 

 had 12 pairs of breeders, 9 of which produced young, the litters varying 

 from 2 to 5 pups each. The total increase was 28, all of which were 

 successfully raised. Fifteen pairs are being held for breeders in 1920. 

 The foxes are fed fish, birds, porcupines, hair seals, and cereals, but 

 chiefly fish which is mixed with a cereal and boiled to a porridge and 

 fed at evening. The morning meal consists of bread made of shorts 

 and a little seal oil. Occasionally meat is fed. These operators have 

 found that the foxes do better in pens built 6 feet apart than in those 

 connecting or immediately adjoining each other. 



F. Berry, 12 miles northeast of Homer, is also breeding foxes in 

 corrals. He started business in 1918 in partnership with Dr. E. F. 

 German, of Anchorage, with one pair of silver-black foxes. A litter 

 of pups was produced in 1919, but nothing was saved from it, as the 

 parent male fox destroyed the young. Mr. Berry gives directions for 

 the prevention of worms and internal parasites in foxes, as follows: 



Burn all your old bones, pound them — not too fine — and add equal quantities of 

 clean charcoal (burnt in the kitchen stove) of some hardwood; now chop fresh meat — 

 something they like very well — and roll it and rub it into the charcoal and pulverized 

 bone until it loses all semblance to meat in the mixture, then feed. They will not 

 mind the dirt, just so they get the meat. One feed a week like this and your animals 

 will never know wanne. 



