376 Department of Conservation of Louisiana 



up in natural color and the poor grades are used for coat 

 linings. 



Alaskan 'Rats. — Thousands of 'rats are produced every 

 year in Alaska, but so far the fur trade has found very 

 little use for them because of their weak pelts and the fact 

 that from 50 to 60 per cent of them are "shots". They 

 are similar to the Canadian 'rats in quality, and larger 

 than the southern United States 'rats in size. Alaska 

 traders claim that if these 'rats were carefully selected 

 and graded and offered to the trade for what they are, at 

 least 25 per cent of them could be used successfully for 

 Hudson seal, and good use could be made of the remainder 

 for trimmings and linings. 



Muskrats, unlike most fur-bearing animals, reach their 

 prime in the spring. At that time the fur is richest and 

 fullest, and the pelt is firm and supple. Fall 'rats, though 

 stronger in leather, are very poor in fur and are the least 

 desirable. 



Manufacturing. — Years ago the natural muskrat was 

 used chiefly for lining men's fur coats. But its natural 

 beauty and practicability have made it very desirable for 

 women's daytime coats, and it is growing increasingly in 

 favor for their purpose. 



Formerly, the most beautiful effects in natural musk- 

 rat coats were obtained by "letting-out" the skins and 

 working them in stripes, to imitate mink. This is still done 

 with fine dark skins, especially with the heavy natural 

 black 'rats. The labor entailed in this process makes it 

 prohibitive on anything but the best skins, in as much as 

 the additional cutting and sewing increase the cost almost 

 100 per cent. For this reason new methods have been de- 

 vised to get a similar effect from the natural pelts. They 

 are split in half and worked diagonally, in herring bone 

 and diamond patterns, and in many other original and 

 unique way. This does not involve nearly as much labor 

 as the "let out" skins, and in many cases is just as attrac- 

 tive. Natural black 'rats are also worked set up square, 

 as are southern 'rats. The latter, as a matter of fact, can- 

 not be "let out" because the flat fur woud reveal every 

 cut and seam. 



