The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-07-27

related to the seal and walrus than to the fish. The whale at times displays a high degree of intelligence and reasoning from the analogy of the seal Professor Muller. several years ago | made up his mind that the difficulties In the way of domesticating the largest of all animals were only those which arose from the unwieldy size of the subjects. The professor looked about until he found suHable inlet. salt water lake about an eighth of a mile across. giving on the sea by a narrow strait about fifty feet across. He arranged gate way of iron bars by which the inlet could be completely closed. Late in the fall about two years ago herd of whales was sporting In the ofilng and 1t was noticed that there were a number of young heifers In the herd. By careful work ten of these heifers were separated from the main herd and coaxed and driven through the strait into the lake.
 Then began the work of tanning them. They were watched and studied until their favorite kind of food was learned. This was a peculiar kind of kelp or rock weed which grows in abundance In about twelve fathoms of water off the coast. Large quantities of this
  near the professors headquarters at the upper end of the inlet.
 Twice a day this food was nut out side, where the young whalekeepers could get 1t. Within a month they had learned to come to the feeding place for their meals. Within another month the creatures were quite tame and a name was given to each one. Gradually the cetaceans learned to md n n.> lths of training could be summoned from any part or the inclosure
 Milking Difficult Problem.
 The problem of teaching them to permit the operatives to milk them was more difficult one An apparatus was devised to do the work. but when an effort was made to try 1t there was trouble at once. 1t was necessary to drive the whales up on the flats at low water to do the milking and 1t has been this part of the work which has absorb ed the attention of the professor Tor more than year.
 Patience in the face of all discourage ments with n determination to succeed finally conquered. The first captives learned gradually to go of their own accord tS the milking ground. The herd has been increased few whales at time until IL now numbers hfty and it requires the services oi sum ol sixty men to carry on the daily milk ing
 Just what the plans of the company are is not generally known and none of the officials will say. It was learn ed on good authority, however, that q $ soon as the dairy experiments in the way of butter and cheese making are complete and the canning plant is ready the herd will be driven down to an inlet on the Maine coast. which has been fitted for a pasture. There the the dairy will be established perma- nently.
 Experiments have been made recent ly in permitting several of the tanner cows to go outside the inlet. These experiments have been peculiarly grati- flying In every instance the cow has returned, indicating clearly her prefer ence for domestic life, and on two separate occasions cows of the herd have brought back with them strange companions The strangers are now thoroughly domesticated and have be come valuable members of the herd.
 If, as is now believed. the whale milk is of rare medicinal value and prove to le q paiatable substitute for th2 nausecus cod-liver oil. it Is easy to see the possibilities which lie in the new industry of whale culture. The but ter ard cheese products gre ca;d to be Of e.:cectionrl ceiiCdcE.