The Alaska prospector., 1908-05-28
CATTLE THRIVE
 0N KODIAK ISLAND
Head of Government Exper- iment Station Writes of
 Present Conditions.

Kodiak Breeding Station, Kodiak, May 5-It has often been said that Alaska could prodnce beef and dairy products for home use and for export as cheaply as any of the coast states For many years cattle have been raised by the Russian settlers along tho southern coast and on the islands of the Kodiak group.
 At one time there were many cat tie raised on Kodiak island and the industry seemed to have been well established, but upon the coming of the Americans and the great rush of traders into the fur country, the cat tie business was neglected and the number gradually decreased from year to year, until the rich harvest of furs was over and then a few men began to look about for a few cattle to help make them living. Their success was limited to a small degree because so many of them knew so little about cattle raising and many did not care to bother with more than was needed to furnish milk and l butter for family use. In many places on the islands the cattle recciv- ed no care whatever and were left run in the timber winter and summer without their being disturbed. In a few cases the cattle were allowed to intcr-brccd and run down to scrubs, but where proper care was given the stock it grew to be profitable.
 The experiment station work, dur ing the last few years, has been ex- tended to take up cattle breeding and dairy work. There is heard of fifty 1 four head of pure bread Galloway cattle at Kodiak, which is increasing as fast as any heard of it's size in the states and the cattle are doing them selves crcditably in this country The Galloway is q native of Scotland and is as much at home in Alaska as in the old country. They are good ruStlcrs and have proven to be fairly good mixers for this climate. No better beef cattle are to be found and the thick coat of long hair makes their hides valuable for robes and overcoats. A fine Galloway hide grown in this country will far dis l count the bear skin in beauty and service.
 It is the plan of the experiment. station to grow and sell cattle to the people of Alaska at very reasonable figure and in this way en- courage the settlers to engage in stock growing. There will be no COWS or heifer calves for sale by the station until the heard shall have in- creased to sufficient numbers to war rant the disposal of cows. There are now number of young bulls for sale to settlers who wish to breed up their stock. These bull calves are eligible to record and are of some of the best strains of the breed found in the states. Prices will run from $50 up, depending upon the individual ami mals, and their age.
 An eight thousand acre reservation has been laid out for the permanent breeding station, some fifteen miles south of Kodiak and three hundred and twenty acres for dairy station just back of the town. During the the next three years the necessary buildings will be put up on both re- servations, and the dairy will then be made all model dairy should be.
 The climatic conditions along the southern coast of Alaska and on the islands of those parts are favorable for rattle raising and the industry should be pushed by every citizen of the territory. There are some ex. cellent opportunities for men, who have small capital, in many places along the coast and on the islands to engage in cattle and sheep raising. The country is new and the range is unlimited.
 M. D. Snodgrass,