Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1890-05-08
DOMESTIC SEAL RAIsfnc
An Opinion that They Would rbr,.,
Great Lakes u

1reat Lakes. h'
The time is not far distance
John Farrent, to a reporter az ii. sald
ledo Blade, when new indus 10.
be naugurated in this copnn, ; VII
that is the raising of seals. all
not alone valuable as fur-BroJrt...A
animal bat it win yield from ai..5.
twelve gallons Of oil. Tie sss s"' p
great confidence in man. ii ,n.. AA
readily tanned, and is a very doci.a
imal. 1t exhibits much afrui.r a.
keeper, and is more intcligsr, y
the dog. '1Al
You look as though YOU dopma4.
practicability of such an epfar..r
he remarked to the reporter. I'm
you will remember a few Years ~
some men ia California detern,ino5s0
60 into the ostrich business. Poa.SI
all over the United States tbougbt ,i
were missionaries, but nevertbai.
they expended good deal Of ms
in sending to Africa for ostriches ~
bringing them to California. Sagea9
of them died while being transnor,'I
but there was sufficient numbs, :,
them left to give the industry h,
trial Even after the birds beqan !.
lay eggs people in California said ~
projectors OF the enterprise had tbro,s
their money away. But heipeubsf,-
went on satisfactorily, and the yorg.
o.tiiches came out in a healthy co65
ton, and it was not long until All NJ
hnt -
triches were brought from Africa ana
the industry flourished to such degrss
that the authorities in Africa issued y
order preventing the taking Of any mara
ostriches out of the country. There s,s
plenty of these birds in California now
as large and fine as the best specimen,
found in Africa.
The seal industry promises as good
results as ostrich farming. They nav
be successfully raised in any Of M
Western lakes. They would do wei.
in Lake Erie The small islands ana
rocky prominences in the lake would
be Just the places for them to come
out and bask in the sun. They are yery
fond Of getting out on a rock and warm.
ing themselves IN the sun.
"The difficulty in the way Of secr-.
ing the full benefit OF the increase n
seals after they had been placed IN
lake would be that rs they were niy.
ratory animal many OF them would
make their way to Canadian water,
and this fact would make it unpuft3.
Bile for those who would 90 into the en-.
terprise.
But there are many good-sized lake,
in Michigan which would be very suit.
able for the introduction of seals and
their rapid increase. Rocky prom.
nences might be made about The center
OF any Of these lakes as baskiug places
and the industry would flourish from
the start. They would soon Iearutogo
regularly toa given place for theirfo6l
1t would be an immensely profitable
enterprise.
Some people have an idea that
seal will not thrive except in very
cold climate. This is mistake, They
will thrive in any fresh lake. In tile
Pacific Ocean. off the coast OF Cali.
fornia, there is a rocky prominence and
there are many seals there They are
protected by law. 1t must be remem.
bered that ii is warm there.
During The winter months a cheap
house for protection could be built
on the edge OF the lake, to which the
seals could come for air as they mus
have this. Then houses would be be.
cessary when the lake was frozen
over. A seal can stay under water
from fifteen to twenty minutes, when
il must come to the surface for air.
please remember what tell you,
that within the next few years the seal
industry will be inauguratcd in Mica-
gan, and it will come to stay aud make
big money for the men who invest il
it, and you need not live many years
to see Toledo ladies wearing seals5n
sacques from seals raised in Michigan
lakes