increase, the number being 336 as compared with 238 the previous year.

In addition to the canning of salmon there are several other important branches of the salmon industry, including mild curing, hard pickling, freezing, and marketing in a fresh condition. The most important of these is the mild-cure industry, which in 1914 was conducted at 17 fixed plants and represented an investment amounting to $777,564. Employment was given to 2,161 persons, and there was a total production of 4,091 tierces, valued at $300,052. Nearly all the mild-cure work is conducted in southeastern Alaska. There was considerable less activity in mild-cure work in 1914, as the war in Europe destroyed the principal market for mild-cure salmon. Immediately upon the beginning of hostilities all mildcure work was discontinued.

Next to mild curing, the hard pickling of salmon is the most important in the salmon industry. This work is carried on chiefly in western Alaska. A total of 15 salteries were in operation in 1914 and 26,362 barrels of pickled salmon, valued at $252,664, were produced. The output of pickled salmon was somewhat less than the previous year, as the market was in a weak condition, which resulted in a lack of interest in this line of work.

A thorough system of inspection of the products of the canneries should be inaugurated. While some of the canneries are models of sanitary perfection, there are others which are not, and the products of all suffer because of the negligence of those who do not exercise proper care in the selection of fish and in the canning process. It would be in the interest of all salmon canneries if their product was subjected to strict supervision and inspection from the fish to the can. This inspection, of course, would entail a considerable expense, but it should be borne by the canneries, and their product would be enhanced in value and the market materially enlarged, because there would be a more extended use of the product were it known that all canned salmon was packed under strict governmental supervision and inspection.

Definite figures have not as yet been obtained for operations in the season of 1915, but in a general way it is known that all preliminary work in southeastern Alaska shows much more satisfactory results than was experienced last year, while in western Alaska it is apparent that there will be quite a decrease in the production of salmon in that section.

HALIBUT.

Second in importance of the fisheries of Alaska is the halibut industry. The importance of this fishery may properly be appreciated and better known if it is realized that when halibut is served in the East or anywhere in the United States the chances are in favor of its having come from the waters off the coast of Alaska. To some this may seem a greatly exaggerated statement, but the fact is that approximately 85 per cent of the halibut consumed in this country comes from the Pacific coast, of which Alaska furnishes a large share. Some of these fish are not shipped through Alaskan ports, but their source of supply is nevertheless the rich halibut banks off the coast of the Territory. The long distance from the chief markets of

the East does not mean in any way an inferior article, as the utmost care is exercised in handling halibut from Alaskan waters, and this means the highest possible quality to the consumer. Most of the halibut for eastern markets are frozen and glazed with a sheet of thin ice, which forms a hermetical sealing, and then each fish is wrapped separately in clean parchment paper, around which is an outer covering of smooth manila paper. The fish is then boxed and shipped in cold storage to the eastern markets.

The recent opening of the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway from Prince Rupert, British Columbia, direct to the East may lessen the quantity of halibut handled through Ketchikan, which is the principal center of the industry in Alaska. It is not so much a question of individual or independent fisherman suffering any serious loss as the result of the bid which Prince Rupert is making for the control of the halibut industry, for the fishermen may sell their catch where they can obtain the best price, but it is, however, the concerns buying and freezing halibut in Alaska that may be hurt as a result of being forced to compete with the Prince Rupert companies, which have a distinct advantage in the matter of transportation to the markets of the East. The merchants of southeastern Alaska who deal in supplies used by halibut fishermen will feel to a certain extent, also, the loss of trade, although it is not believed that this will be as serious or will be felt as much as may seem apparent at this time. The privileges of shipping in bond are such that fish may be sent through Prince Rupert to points in the United States duty free. The granting of terminal rates by the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway to shippers of halibut at Ketchikan, 90 miles distant, would do much toward insuring the retention of the business to southeastern Alaska, but the granting of such rates and privileges can scarcely be expected in the immediate future.

The season of 1914 was the best known to the halibut industry in Alaskan waters; not only have the old and well-established grounds produced big catches, but good yields of halibut have also been obtained on new banks further to the west than those heretofore fished, though fished perhaps merely in an experimental way. The United States Bureau of Fisheries has aided materially by its surveys in locating these new halibut banks, and further exploitations along these lines are looked for in the near future. The expansion of the halibut industry in Alaska in 1914 is shown by the increase in product, which in that year totaled 14,807,797 pounds, valued at $762,757, as against 13,687,784 pounds, worth $571,314, in 1913. The number of persons engaged in this fishery in 1914 was 1,406, as compared with 1,256 in 1913. The investment in the halibut fisheries of Alaska in 1914 amounted to $2,744,055, an increase of $384,030 over 1913.

COD FISHERY.

For many years the waters off the coast of central and western Alaska have been the scene of considerable activity in the cod fishery. There have been two classes of operations, namely, the vessel fishery, in which schooners are dispatched from San Francisco and Puget Sound ports to the fishing banks of Alaska; and shore-station fishery, which is conducted by means of small boats that deliver their catch each day to stations on shore. In the case of the vessel fishery, the

dories return to the schooners, which remain in the banks, sometimes many miles offshore, and the fish are salted down in the hold. When the full fare is obtained, the vessels return to their home ports in the States, where the catch is put in final shape for marketing. The chief scenes of the shore-station operations are the Shumagin and Sannak groups of islands in western Alaska. The offshore vessel fishery is conducted to a certain extent in this region, and also quite largley on the banks in Bering Sea north of the Alaska Peninsula.

In the season of 1914 there were 18 large schooners and 5 smaller vessels engaged in the cod fishery of Alaska. Of the larger vessels 4 were used entirely in transporting the catch from the shore stations to the home plants in the States. A very successful season was experienced in 1914 as the vessels fishing offshore did well, and the shore stations likewise made large catches. Good prices were realized on the season's production. There is a great opportunity for expansion of the cod fishery of Alaska, as there are many good fishing banks that are scarcely touched. The total investment in the Alaskan cod fishery in 1914 amounted to $623,921; in 1913 it was $581,107. These figures include both the offshore vessels and the shore stations operated in Alaska. There was likewise an increase in the number of persons engaged, there being a total of 677 in 1914, as against 531 in 1913. The products of 1914 aggregated 15,045,378 pounds, valued at $438,208, as compared with the production of 11,916,900 pounds, valued at $357,711, in 1913. This shows a substantial increase for 1914.

HERRING FISHERY.

The herring is one of the most numerous of the marine fishes of Alaska. At various times throughout the year numerous schools of herring may be observed in the waters along the coast, particularly in the waters of southeastern Alaska. An extensive fishery has been developed, but it is by no means of the proportions possible, considering the quantities of fish available. It is true that at some seasons of the year complaint is heard from the halibut fishermen, who use herring as bait, that there is a pronounced scarcity of herring and that the supply is diminishing gradually; this, however, is not the real situation, as the runs of herring are practically as large as ever in the past. It is true that it is sometimes difficult for the halibut fishermen to get fresh herring for bait, in which event they are forced to resort either to salted or frozen herring. The salted herring are inferior for use as halibut bait, but the frozen herring are practically as good as the fresh article. The coldstorage plants handling halibut usually freeze large quantities of herring, when the runs are good, for sale to the halibut fishermen during the periods when it is rather difficult for them to obtain a sufficient supply of fresh herring. The price usually charged by the cold-storage companies is reasonable, so that the halibut fishermen are not often forced to use pickled herring for bait. For food purposes the herring of Alaska are practically the equal of Norway or of Scotch herring. The industry, however, in Alaska has not been developed to its fullest possibilities, and the cause has heretofore been due to the indifference displayed by those in the industry as to the method of preparing the fish. The situation in the last year 8162°- -INT 1915-VOL 2- -30

or two has improved, and it is hoped that before long the herring fishery of Alaska will de developed on much more extensive lines. The cost of preparing pickled herring in Alaska has been rather high as compared with the price which the product has brought. The fish are caught chiefly in purse seines, which means that all sizes are landed. Considerable labor is necessary in sorting out the smaller fish, which are less desirable for market purposes, although they are entirely suitable for use as halibut bait. If more of the herring could be taken in gill nets of mesh of proper size only the large fish would be caught, and there would be less labor involved in preparing the catch for market. There has been much waste of small herring at times, after the larger ones have been culled out of the purse seine catch and prepared for market use. Conditions, however, in this respect are now much better than formerly.

For years the Alaska Oil & Guano Co. has made extensive use of herring in the preparation of oil and fertilizer at Killisnoo, southeastern Alaska. There has been much agitation as to the propriety of permitting the use of herring in the manufacture of these products, it being argued that herring should be used solely for food purposes. It has been further charged by some that the activities of this plant have resulted in a decrease in the number of herring in the waters of southeastern Alaska. It is hardly probable that any serious depletion has resulted from the use of herring at the Killisnoo plant, but in view of the popular clamor for a discontinuance of the practice of using herring for the manufacture of fertilizer and oil, it is believed advisable and proper to prohibit the further use of herring for such purposes, a reasonable amount of time being given to the concern to close up its affairs.

Less interest was exhibited in the herring industry in 1914 than during the previous year. This was on account of the low price commanded by the pickled herring. The total investment in Alaska in 1914 in the herring industry was $203,045 as compared with $261,480 for 1913. The number of persons engaged in this fishery in 1914 was 144 as compared with 200 in 1913; while the value of the products in 1914 amounted to $213,217 as against $191,105 in 1913.

WHALE FISHERY.

The whale fishery in Alaska in 1914 was conducted chiefly from two shore stations, one at Port Armstrong in southeastern Ålaska, and the other at Akutan in western Alaska. In addition to shorestation operations there has been but comparatively a small amount of whaling by several vessels working offshore, particularly in the Arctic region. In connection with the shore-station operations, small steamers, usually of about 100 tons burden, are employed in cruising within a radius of 50 or 60 miles of the station for the purpose of killing the whales. At the bow of each of these steamers is mounted a muzzle-loading gun of 3 inch bore, which shoots an explosive bomb to which is attached a heavy line leading to powerful steam winches on the deck of the vessel. This "killing boat, so called, endeavors to approach within a distance of 120 feet of the whale before the gun is fired. The bomb contains a small charge of black powder and is timed to explode 20 seconds after the gun

is discharged. When a whale is struck in this manner the line attached to the missile is paid out as the whale "sounds," but it is gradually hauled in and finally the whale is brought alongside the vessel. It is then pumped up with air so that it will float, and if there are other whales in sight it is temporarily cast adrift while the pursuit of the others takes place. The whale is then towed to the shore station, where it is hauled out of the water by means of powerful winches and is cut up and processed. One class of oil is obtained from the blubber, while other grades of oil are obtained from the flesh and from the bones by compressing the skeleton. After the oil has been tried out the residue is converted into animal meal and fertilizer. In 1914 the two shore stations in Alaska killed and utilized a total of 482 whales; of this number 259 were finbacks, 131 humpbacks, 43 sperms, 35 sulphur bottoms, and 14 others. The total shore-station eatch in 1913 was 186 whales.

The total investment in the shore whaling industry in Alaska in 1914 was $1,456,649 as against $891,780 in 1913. The number of persons employed in 1914 was 225 as compared with 99 in 1913. The value of the products in 1914 also shows an important gain, being $291,099 as against $157,550 in 1913.

In addition to the operations of the shore and offshore industry the whaling fleet in Arctic waters in 1914 took 21 bowhead whales and obtained approximately 35,000 pounds of bone, valued at $26,250. Four vessels were engaged in whaling operations in the Arctic last year.

AGRICULTURAL ALASKA.

The agricultural population of Alaska is now increasing steadily. During the past year several hundred homesteads have been located by bona fide settlers in different sections of the Territory. In the Cook Inlet region, particularly in the vicinity of Knik and Anchorage, and in the Matanuska and other valleys several hundred farms are being reclaimed from the wilderness; and renewed interest in agriculture is being taken in the Tanana and other valleys of the interior where there are already a number of farms in a high state of cultivation. As a matter of fact nearly all the hardier vegetables, such as lettuce, turnips, carrots, cabbage, rutabaga, radishes, onions, etc., that are needed to supply the population of the Tanana Valley towns, are raised at home. Potatoes are a staple crop, and the importation. of this tuber from the States has practically ceased. The potatoes grown here are of a high quality. It is not generally known that the Tanana Valley produces the finest celery grown, this product even excelling that of Kalamazoo, Mich. It is raised in large quantities and commands a good price. In the different towns and settlements along the Yukon, and rivers tributary thereto, gardens are numerous and a sufficient supply of vegetables is usually raised to meet the local demands. Even at the numerous native villages, and especially where schools are maintained by the United States Board of Education, fine native gardens may be seen, and many of the Indians take a keen interest in raising garden truck for their own use. They have received the necessary training, encouragement, and aid from the teachers in charge of the schools. Much patience is required to induce the natives to cultivate gardens, but they are beginning to