Feeding the Russian Fur Trade: Provisionment of the Okhotsk Seaboard and the Kamchatka Peninsula, 1639–1856

13 Reactions

13 REACTIONS "There is not much hope of progress in grain cultivation [in Kamchatka ]." Timofey Shmalev, "Kratkoye opisanie," p. 209. "The land [of Kamchatka] is extremely fertile and very suitable for cultivation." Major Von Bem, "0 Kamchatskom zemledelii," p. 41. Russian reactions to the disappointing performance of agriculture on the Okhotsk Seaboard and the Kamchatka Peninsula are well documented for the peninsula, which was the focus of the region's agricultural activity. Kamchatka's agricultural successes, though infrequent, were nevertheless sufficient to persuade the Russian Government to pursue stubbornly its goal of agricultural autarky for the peninsula; in the face of conflicting opinions from its administrators there it continued to try to improve its agricultural policy in various ways. In 1749 Khotuntsevsky, Archimandrite of Kamchatka, suggested to the Holy Synod that a large agricultural-manufactural monastery be established on the former site of Uspenskaya Hermitage, employing the peasants of Kamchatka and Okhotsk, who "live idly, [and] keep only state cattle, which are few in number....»1 With such an establishment Khotuntsevsky hoped that "grain pursuits will soon appear in Kamchatka , as before, when the monastery [Uspenskaya Hermitage] stood intact."2 His suggestion was not implemented. At this time the Siberian authorities at Tobolsk, recalling their agrarian intentions in Kamchatka (embodied in the decrees of the late 1720's and the early 1730's), inquired about the state of agriculture there. Commandant Lebedev replied that agriculture had well-nigh ceased because the peasants were improperly supervised. He asserted that it would succeed if the peasants were put under strict supervision and if they were moved to Nizhne-Kamchatsk and Verkhne-Kamchatsk, where, in his opinion, the climate was milder,S 202 REACTIONS 203 Henceforth the Siberian authorities paid more attention to Kamchatka 's agriculture, and, although the peasants were not moved, Pyotr Kholmovsky, the peninsula's second steward, was appointed expressly to supervise grain cultivation. After repeated experiments, he concluded that grain could not be grown there.4 Kholmovsky was succeeded by Lieutenant Nedozrelov, who was sent to the peninsula in 1761 "for the propagation of grain cultivation...."5 He reported that the peasants neglected agriculture because it was unproductive and because haymaking interfered with the catching of fish, their main sustenance.6 Nedozrelov 's recommendation that for four years no planting be made without his personal supervision was approved and implemented; however, his experiments also failed, early frost killing the standing grain.7 In 1762 one Rozinov was sent to Kamchatka under orders "to supervise constantly , so that they [the peasants] sow all the grain given them up to the last kernel without any concealment or theft," "to observe strictly how much is cut, threshed, and collected into the magazines," and "for sowing to select the very best lands. . . which are to be fertilized with manure without laziness, using for this all possible labor."8 Rozinov was given 1,000 rubles for the purchase of sixty implements and 1,512 pounds of seed "for the propagation of grain cultivation in Kamchatka ...."9 The results of his endeavors are unknown, but his successor, Timofey Shmalev, who found that hemp was Kamchatka's most successful crop, concluded that "there is not much hope of progress in grain cultivation."10 Nevertheless, the state continued to promote agriculture in the peninsula. In 1760 Fyodor Cheredov, who had served as a sergeant in Kamchatka during the administration of his father, presented to the Senate a project for the large-scale development of agriculture in Okhotsk Kray, which then included Kamchatka.l1 This project was approved by the Senate, which in February, 1761 ordered Cheredov, "on account of the shortage of provisions for the upkeep of the military command, . . . to establish grain cultivation in such places found to be suitable for the growing of grain... ."12 The Senate hoped that "from this it will be possible to supply with grain not only the Kamchatka military command but also the commands found at Okhotsk Port and at Anadyrsk Ostrog. . • .ms Cheredov was appointed Governor of Yakutsk, assigned 1,000 rubles for "the procurement of materials and other needs pertaining to grain cultivation, as well as seed grain . . . ,"14 and permitted to transfer peasants with cattle from Irkutsk Province to Kamchatka, while 2M LOCAL AGRICULTURE his father, Vasily Cheredov, was sent to Kamchatka to supervise agriculture with permission "to utilize local Cossacks and soldiers with extreme care ..." (i.e., without antagonizing them) as agriculturalists if the...