117/1' XOT RAISE YOUR (J\\\\ FURS? 



are looked for. sufficient capital i.s re- 

 quired to ])Iace it on a firm basis. \a\- 

 less the work is carried on under 

 favorable conditions for the animals, 

 failure is bound to residt. These condi- 

 tions must include a h)cality suitable 

 to the nature of the special fur bearer 

 selected, proper housing, and the right 

 kind of food, as well as a study of the 

 individual traits of the animal. 



In choosing a site for the farm, the 

 first consideration is clinuite. which has 

 much to do with the character of the 

 fur produced. A long cold season and 

 at least a moderate rainfall are impor- 

 tant. A short hot summer is not detri- 

 mental if followed bv a season of frosty 

 weather during which the animals re- 

 new their coats. Dry winds tend to 

 make fur harsh, while excessive sun- 

 shine injures it both in color and char- 

 acter. It has been found that in densely 

 wooded districts furs are darker in color 

 than in more exposed regions and that 

 the quality is softer and more silky 

 than that of furs from bare tracts of 

 country, where the greater efE'ort re- 

 quired to secure food develops stronger 

 limbs and a coarser body covering. 



The last suggests at least one reason 

 for the higher character of ranch-l)rcd 

 furs. It is evident that the fur of ani- 

 mals reared in captivity and given 

 every care as to food and protection 

 from the elements must of necessity be 

 in better condition than the wild skins, 

 many of which arc worn and imperfect 

 in coloring. Something of the fitness 

 of a locality for fur farming may be 

 judged by the quality of fur produced 

 by the native animals. 8ome regions 

 possessing the requisite degree of cold 



aic too dry and sunny for the produc- 

 tion (if a high grade of fur. Seclusion 

 and (|ui('t are other very desirable 

 features of a site, since some ani- 

 nuds. as the fox. are timid and ner- 

 vous, anil prefer to keep out of sight 

 and in the shade during the middle 

 of the day. The farm is therefore best 

 located in the midst of a grove of 

 young trees. 



That cai'cful and selective Ijreeding 

 will ])roduce greatly improved stock in 

 wild animals as it has in our present 

 domesticated ones has been proved in 

 the case of foxes. Within sixteen years 

 of the time the two pioneei- fox breeders 

 of Prince Edward Island built their 

 ranch they had eliminated the tendency 

 of the silver foxes to produce red prog- 

 eny and were sending to market the 

 finest fox pelts in the world. As with 

 poultry, horses, and other farm animals, 

 so it is with fur bearers. Each breeder 

 should strive to perfect his stock ac- 

 cording to some standard. Food is 

 recognized as a very important element 

 in the development of good stock. The 

 finest specimens of domestic cattle are 

 those which have been fed most wisely. 

 It should be a part of every breeder's 

 plan to discover all he can about the 

 relative values of food and methods of 

 handling as influencing the process of 

 selective breeding. The value of breed- 

 ing stock is naturally dependent on the 

 demand and in particular on the char- 

 acter of the fur of individual animals. 

 Prolific animals belonging to choice 

 strains, in which a superior color and 

 quality of fur have been fixed, are of 

 course worth much more for breeding 

 ]iurposes than ordinary stock. 



