58 COMMISSION OF CONSERVATION 



Maj. Gen. A. W. Greely, in his Handbook of Alaska, published in 

 1909, writes: 



.... . "Unwise exploitation has very greatly reduced the fur- 



Add itionsi 



Details bearing productivity of the land animals of the Aleutian 



islands, as well as of the interior of Alaska. With the early 

 extermination of foxes in prospect, there was organized about 1894 the 

 Semidi Propagation Company, to domesticate and raise foxes on un- 

 inhabited islands. The original fox farm was stocked from the Pribi- 

 lof group and was situated on North Semidi island, whence the in- 

 dustry has extended to thirty or more islands to the eastward, far the 

 greater number being situated in Prince William sound, though there 

 are seven in the Kadiak group. Most of the islands are occupied under 

 lease from the United States, and the law excepts from homesteading 

 the fox islets. The companies and several individuals have followed 

 this industry, which has been only moderately successful from the 

 financial standpoint. Considerable investment is necessary, it takes 

 at least four years before any revenue is obtained, the life is most 

 isolated, and skins are not very productive, usually varying in value 

 from $10 to $20, according to quality and demand. In some instances 

 natives have become fox breeders, and, where private parties are so 

 engaged, they have supplemented their fox breeding by fishing, farm- 

 ing, or lumbering. 



" The largest fox farm is at Long island, near Kadiak, where 

 there are nearly 1,000 blue foxes. The largest number of skins comes, 

 however, from the Pribilof group, where about 700 foxes are annually 

 taken by the natives, supplementary to the fur-seal catch. These foxes 

 are not domesticated. 



" Tlie very valuable siJver-gray fox is too thoroughly savage to 

 accept conditions necessary for profitable fox breeding and, in conse- 

 quence, fox farming is confined almost entirely to the blue fox. The 

 fox is monogamous, and an average of four foxes come to maturity from 

 each litter. It is necessary to feed the foxes the greater part of the 

 year, and careful supervision is essential to their successful raising. 



" The blue fox thrives wild on the extreme easterly isle of Attn, 

 and from that point several of the Shumagin islands, Chernabura, 

 Simeonof, etc., have been stocked with moderate success. The ex- 

 tension and development of this industry is desirable as one of the much 

 needed means to enable the Aleuts successfully to meet changed con- 

 ditions of Alaskan life." 



