The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-08-25
the cattle at almost every point of impor-
lance for trial
SMALL HERDS REARED

ranging ground for pasture and in the
summer there is the greatest abundance of
nutritious grasses, but when the storms
of October, freighted with snow. accom-
panied by cold and piercing gales, arrive
and hold their own until the following May,
the sleek, fat herd of September become
very much worn and emaciated. 1t has
given its owner an undue amount of trouble
TO shelter and feed.
Hay suitable for cattle, or at least to
keep cattle alive. can be cut in almost any
quantities desired for that purpose. but
the stress of weather alone, even with
abundance of this feed, depresses as ii were
and enfeebleS the vitality of the stock so
that the herds on Kadiak island have never
increased to anything approXimating a
stock growers drove. rarely exceeding fif-
teen or twenty head at the most
Notable examples of small tocks of sheep
which have been brought up since the
transfer and turned out at Unalaska, I'm
ga and elsewhere, have done well. The
mutton of the Alaskan sheep, when it is
rolling in its own fat. as il were. is pro-
nounced by epicures to be very fine; but
the severe winters, which are not so cold
as protracted, when the weather is so vio-
lent that the animals have to huddle for
weeks in some dark, low shelter, cause a
sweating or heating of their WOOL which is
detached and falls off, greatly enfeebnng
and emaciating them by spring.
Traders at some places bring beef cattle
up in the spring from San Francisco, turn
Aleutian islands. Kadiak. and even to the
north, where they speedily round out and
flesh up into the very finest beeVes by the
middle or end of October, when they are
slaughtered.
VEGETABLE CULTIVATION.
There are localities in Alaska where for
the last eighty years, or even more, up to
the present date, good potatoes have been
raised. though perhaps the raising of these
tubers is not a certain success year after
year, except at one or two points within
the Alexander archipelago namely, at the
mouth of the Stakhim river. at Fort Wran-
GEL and on Prince of Wales island. The
potato grounds of Alaska, however, can,
with due care and diligence, be made TO fur
nish, in the Alexander archipelago, in Cook
inlet, at Kadiak island ana inlets contig-
uous, and at Bristol bay, Il positive source
of food supply to the inhabitants.
1t is not generally known that on Afognak
island there are nearly one hundred acres
of land, dug up in patches here and there,
which are planted by the inhabitants, and
from which they gather an annual harvest
of potatoes ana turnips. But there are no
fields spread out, squared up and ploWed
anywhere in Alaska. The little openings
in the forest or the cleared sides of q
gently sloping declivity in sheltered situa-
lions are taken up by the people, who turn
out with rude spades, OF their own manu-
f&cture, principally, for me purpose OF sub
jugating and overuurning the sod. Many of
the gardens, notably those at the kadlak
village, are close by the settlement, While
others are at some distance.
Captain Beardslee, United States navy.
says: Whether it is due to the change OF
climate through the clearing away of many
acres of forest or to improved methods l
cannot say, but for several years past ex-
cellent vegetables, such as potatoes, cab
gabes, ETC., have been raised yearly IN tine
neighborhood of Sitka and Wrangel. Near
Sitka there are a large number of plots I'M
der cultivation. | have seen, two seasons in
succession, lettuce of several varieties, cab
bages yard across before they. began to
head ana eight to ten inches a: diameter
headed, caul1aower weighing from ten to
fifteen pounds, early rose and peachblow
potatoes ranging from three to thirty
ounces each and each hill yielding over a
half bucketful, turnips of very large size
and cress, radishes, etc, in protusion, green
peas of excellent quality and beds bordered
ing loads of fruit. My lettuce bed kept me
supplied from June to September"
FISH IN ABUNDANCE.
Tn value of the salmon when in A N
waters and canned now amounts to |, ace
the sum paid by the United States to Rus
STA for the territory. The pack for 1896 ex-
ceeded that for 1895. amounting to go, 45C
cases and 9314 barrels. The number of per
sons employed estimated at $780, and
about $130000 had been paid in wages by
the packing company There are two hatch
cries, one at Kurtuk, where 5.5O0OOO eggs
have been secured, and the other at Eholine
island, with a product of over 100000.
The next important fishing industry in
Alaska is the Goldfish business, carried on
by two San Francisco firms atthe Shumagin
islands, and in the Rering sea- Since the
beginning of the cOdfishing business in this
territory, in 1865, the total number of fish
taken Is 20, 1913 300, of the value of $12 SOL $50
A hasty survey has given an idea of the
extent of the banks, but there is much yet
to be done to properly define their limits
and determine their character. Port Lock
bank. extending northeasterly from Kodak
an immense area. Shumagin bank, south
of the Shumagin group of islands
has an area of about 4, 400 square miles. AL
batross bank off the northeastern side OF
Kadiak has an area of 1900 square miles
Slime bank, north Of Unimak island. in
Boring sea, covers an area of 1,445 square
fifty fathoms. Baird bank stretches along
the coast Of Alaska peninsula 230 miles
with an average width of forty miles, COW
ering an area of $500 square miles. The
with a bottom of fine gray sand.
The fish used for the manufacture of oil Is
rich in oil and finely favored 1t is much
used as food fish, and also as bait in
taking halibut and other large fish. 1t is
caught by the natives, for their own use,
with a stick toward the end of which are
inserted several sharpened spikes They
dip the stick in the water catch one or
more herring, and with one motion land
the fish in the canoe and thrust the stick
in the water again. In this way they take
immense quantities in a short time. These
fish appear in the still waters of bays and
inlets by the million at different places, and
at different seasons of the year. from Au-
gust to February.
Halibut abounds throughout central
southern and western Alaska, and can be
taken at any time during the year They
vary in size from Is to 250 pounds each
those weighing from 80 to rs pounds being
preferred. 1t is not uncommon for Sitka
Indians to visit Silver bay or the vicinity
or Mount Edgecombe and return the fol-
lowing day with nearly ton of these fish
White fish, Josh and Cravings are found
in large quantities in the Yukon and afford
more food for the natives than the salmon.
Black bass are abundant in southeastern
Alaska, and trout and pike inhabit almost
all the rivers
BIOGRAPHICAL DIVISIONS.
Alaska is divided naturally into six geo.
graphical divisions, according to the gov
eminent book.
First-The southeastern, comprising %, 9SC
Mount ST. Elias in the north to Portland
canal in latitude "a degrees 40 minutes in
the south, together with the islands of the
Alexander archipelago, between Cross
sound and Cape Fox. This region differs
from the bulk of Alaska, resembling Brit
ish Columbia and the adjoining islands. II
is densely wooded and exceedingly noun
famous in formation. The coast is deeply
indented with bays and fords and for two
thirds of it's length is sheltered by the
islands Of the archipelago.
Coal has been discovered on many of the
islands and on the mainland but no prac-
teal has thus far been made of the
discovery. Discoveries of gold bearing
quartz were made on Baronof island, but
the lodges are not worked. Gold was also
discovered on the peninsula between Taku