BLTJE-FOX FARMING Itf ALASKA 
23 
material. Biscuits prepared according to the following recipe have 
been used successfully and are relished by young as well as old 
foxes : 
Biscuits. — To a mixture of ground whole wheat, middlings, and cracker 
waste weighing 70 pounds, add 1 pound of baking powder and 30 pounds of 
cracklings or fish meal. Mix with enough water to form a stiff dough. Place 
in pans approximately 10 by 12 inches in size and l 1 /^ inches deep, and bake 
in a slow oven iy 2 to 2 hours. 
"When thoroughly baked these biscuits are not dry and hard, but 
are more like cake. They are not fed fresh, but are allowed to stand 
for a day or two. 
All feed should be given in dishes, preferably of aluminum or 
earthenware. Under no circumstances should it be thrown on the 
ground, as such practice makes it impossible to keep the surround- 
ings clean and sanitary and the feed itself from becoming con- 
taminated. 
Fig. 23. — A basket arrangement like that illustrated is built in a stream to freshen 
salt fish 
Fresh clean water should be accessible to the foxes at all times, 
whether supplied by streams on the island or placed in dishes. 
QUANTITY AND FREQUENCY OF FEEDING 
The quantity of feed supplied depends entirely on the season of the 
year and the age, appetite, and condition of the stock. Foxes should 
be fed fairly heavily just before the breeding season, so they will 
be in good, vigorous condition. Some ranchers believe that heavy 
feeding at this time will bring on the oestrum quicker and increase 
the chances of conception. Forced feeding has a tendency to make 
the fur prime sooner than it would be naturally, but the advisability 
of practicing this is questionable, because in many cases the fur 
thus becomes prime before the skin. 
Appetite is a good index to feeding, and the quantity of feed 
supplied should be regulated so that the foxes will remain active 
and show an eagerness to eat. 
