The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1890-06-07
DOMESTIC SEAL CULTURE.
A Scheme tn Roar Fdr Seals In the Great
Fresh Watcr Iukcs,

A scheme to Roar Fur Seals In the Great
Fresh Waic@ I.nkcs.
"'rhc timr Ia not far distant" said
John farrcnt yesterday. when u new
industry will hc inaugmratel in this
country. and that ia the raising of seals
A seal is not alone valuable as u fur
producing animal hut 1T will yield from
eight to twelve gallons OF oil. Tho seal
has great confidence in man. 1t may bc
readily tanned. ana is II very docilc ami
NAL. 1t exhibits much affection for its
keeper, and is more Intelligent than tho
dog.
"You lool; as II YOU doubted tho prac-
ticabilitv Of such an enterprise" ho
remarked to the reporter "Wcll, you
will remember few years ago some
mon in California determined To 30 into
the ostrich business. People all over
the United States thought they wore
missionaries, but nevertheless they cy-
pended good deal Of money in sending
to Africa for qstrichcs AMI bringing
them to California. Several of them
died while being Transported, but there
were n sufficient number of thcm left to
give the industry II fair trial. Even af-
ter the birds began 10 lay eggs people in
California said the projectors of the en-
tcrncisC had thrown their money away
Bi incubation went on satisfactorily,
kr.d the young ostrichcs came out in
healthy condition.; and IL was not long
until all admitted that it was q success.
More ostrichos were brought from Afri-
ca, and tho industry ilourishcd to such
degree that tho authorities in Africa is.
sued an order preventing the taking OF
any more oStrichcs out of the country.
There are plenty of these birds in Cali
fornia now. as large and fine rs tho best
specimens found in Africa.
"rhe seal industry promises rs good
results as notwithstanding. They may
be successfully raised in any of the
Western lakes. They would do we'll in
Lake Eric. The small islands and
rocky promincncns in the lake would he
just the places for then TO come ont and
bask in the sun. They are very fond of
getting out on rock ard warming
themselves in the sun.
Tho difficulty in the way OF securing
the full>bencilt Of the increase of seals
after they had been placed IN tho lake
WOulti Dc biitN i.' a. iboiy
animal, many of them would make their
way to Canadian waters. and this fact
would make it unproiitablc for those
who would go into the enterprise.
'But there are many good-stZcd lakes
In Michigan which would be very suit
able for the introducing of seals and |
their rapid increase. Rocky pronn-
enccs might be mndc about tho conter |
of any one of these lakes as baslting |
places, and the industry would flourish !
from the start. They would soon learn
to G, regularly to rivcn plac" for their
food. 1t woulG - an nmenscly profit
able enterprise.
"Somc people have IN idea that a seal |
will not thrive excepting in II very cold |
climate. This is mistake. They will |
thrive in any fresh-watcr Lake. in the |
Pacific ocean, oil the coast OF California.
there is II prominence, and there are
many seals there. They arc protected
by law. ii must be remembered that it
IS warm there.
During the winter montbs u cheap
house for protection could he built on
.hc edge of tho lake, to which the seals
'oulu coihH loI AK "h ohNJ luSG HdNt
this. Then, houses would be necessary |
while the Lake was frozen over. A seal |
can stay under water from fifteen to |
twenty minutes, when it must come to
the surface for air.
please remember what ] tell you
that within the next few years tho seal
industry will he inauGuratcd in Michi-
ran, and IL will come 10 stay. and mako
Dig money for the men who invest in it;
md you need not 1.-Two many years to sec
Toledo ladies wearing scalskin sacks
rom seals raised in Michigan lalics"-
Toledo Blade.