The Fur Animals of Louisiana 343 



We found that to successfully raise muskrats in pens that 

 wooden dens were not at all necessary, and all we do at 

 Mount Forest is to throw heaps of wet marsh grass in one 

 end of the pen, which is raised several inches above the 

 other end to keep all drainage at the end opposite the nest, 

 and in this grass heap, or house, or hill, or whatever you 

 may want to call it, the females in the pen construct their 

 nest, just as they would do in the wild state — as a matter 

 of fact, we find that the closer we keep to nature in our fur 

 farming the more successful we are in results. 



Mating Methods 



"Our method of mating, I believe, is radically different 

 than has been practiced on other like institutions but which 

 is now being adopted by many others. As has been stated, 

 we keep ten females in our breeding pens. We begin our 

 breeding operations in Michigan as early as possible and 

 about the middle of February, in the morning, we introduce 

 a male in the pen with the females. He immediately serves 

 all ten of them but is allowed to remain with his new com- 

 panions until the next morning, when he is removed to 

 another pen to perform the same duties. In the first pen 

 another male is introduced and kept there for twenty-four 

 hours, another and another until four males have served 

 the females. This is done to insure breeding taking place 

 and each of the ten females served. 



"The males are kept on their course of visiting all of the 

 pens and, of course, only selected and hardy bucks are 

 thus used, in addition to their selection for fur and color 

 of fur. I believe that this is one of our trade secrets which 

 has made our concern as successful as it has proved to be, 

 and, naturally, I recommend it to all breeders of muskrats. 

 After our study 'rats have performed their duties they are 

 returned to what we term the 'bull pen,' where they feed, 

 loaf and await their summons for the next breeding service. 



Gestation Periods 



"We have conclusively proved that the period of gesta- 

 tion of our farm-bred muskrats is from 19 to 21 days. As 



