MINOR FUR-BEARING ANIMALS. 59 



for them. After losing 3 in another litter of 6, we took the other 3 away from the 

 mother and raised them successfully l>y hand. 



From the 15 litters there were (10 pups of whi h we raised 35 silvers, 6 crosses, and 2 

 reds to maturity. The first litters were born April 25 and the last one May 30. 



Oiu" principal food is fresh and dried salmon, horse meat, wild game, rice, milk, and 

 eggs. 



We will retain 29 pairs of silvers and 1 pair of crosses this year. This pair of crosses 

 proved to be breeders of exceptionally good stock, gixdng us 2 dark silvers this year. 



Our ranch is located about 1,000 feet east of the town of Hot Springs, Alaska, on a 

 5and ridge in a thick growth of Cottonwood, birch, and spruce, which furnish shade in 

 5unimer and shelter from the cold winds in winter. Our outside inclosure is about 

 300 feet square, built 12 feet high with overhang of 30 inches, and a 6-foot galvanized 

 carpet wire, 16 gauge, which prevents the animals from burrowing under and escaping. 

 The first 6 feet of the fence is of 14 gauge 2 -inch mesh galvanized wire; the top 6 feet 

 is of 16-gauge 2-inch mesh, also the overhang. We might say here that we have never 

 had a fox escape from this inclosure, and from our experience we believe a 10-foot 

 fence would be perfectly safe. 



Our breeding pens are built 70 feet on two sides from the outside fence and 50 feet 

 from the other two sides. Thirty pens were built in 1915, size 37 by 37 of the same 

 material and height of outside inclosure. In these pens a 3-foot 14-gauge wire is sunk 

 in the ground and only a 3-foot carpet wire is used. Six-foot alleyways were left on 

 two sides of each pen, and 8-foot on the other two sides. These wide alleys are quite 

 essential to prevent the spread of disease and to keep the foxes from being annoyed at 

 whelping time by animals in the near-by pens. 



This year we added 30 more pens, 6 by 37 feet, built in the 6-foot alleys on each 

 large pen. These pens are to be used for separating the foxes in case of sickness or to 

 take the male away after mating in case he should be greedy or not a good parent, also 

 to keep the young after they have been separated from the mother until they are mated, 

 sold, or their pelts taken. 



The principal losses among our young foxes are due to stomach and bowel disorders, 

 due we believe to improper food and feeding. We are, however, overcoming this 

 trouble to a considerable extent and in the future look for only a small percentage of loss. 



We have recently taken the pelts from 16 silvers, 21 crosses. 2 reds, and 3 wliites. 

 These pelts are all exceptionally well furred, although we do not expect fancy prices 

 this year for our silvers, as they are of our poorest stock. 



Wenzel & Son, of Fairbanks, established a fox farm at Monument 

 Point in 1915. On December 5, 1917, the stock on hand consisted of 

 3 male and 1 female red foxes, 2 male and 6 female cross foxes, 6 male 

 and 12 female silver-gray foxes, a total of 30. In 1917 two litters 

 were born. These animals consisted of 3 male and 2 female crosses 

 and 2 male and 2 female silver grays. No animals were killed on the 

 farm in 1916 or 1917. 



The original stock for the farm was secured by trapping. It appears 

 that with the exception of the use of bear meat for short periods on 

 two occasions the foxes have been fed exclusively on salmon, fresh 

 salmon being cooked and smoked salmon soaked before use.*^ Plenty 

 of fresh water is furnished at all times. 



W. J. Vachon is the owner of a fox farm located at Tolovana, 

 A-laska. This farm was estabhshed in 1912 and the original stock 

 was purchased. On January 5, 1918, the stock on hand consisted 

 of 11 male and 11 female, aU silver grays. In 1917, 3 litters were 

 born on this farm. The total number of young was 18, 9 male and 

 9 female, aU silver grays. In 1917, 29 foxes were killed on this farm, 

 17 male and 12 female, all silver grays. In the same year 1 animal 

 was killed from fighting and 3 died from disease. 



The structures for carrying on operations include an outside 

 inclosure, 550 feet by 185 feet, within which there are upwards of 

 50 pens of various sizes. The foxes are fed fish cooked with corn 



a The Bureau suggests that fur farmers exercise caution in using smoked food, at least until they have 

 demonstrated that harmful results will not ensue. 



