FUR-FARMING IN CANADA 35 
In the earlier days, the houses were of logs, barrels, or 
Construction boxes. Later, a small box was placed within a larger 
of the Kennel - : . 
one and the intervening space packed with sawdust or 
chaff. An entrance was provided by a passageway constructed of 
boards. The roof was made water-tight by a piece of sheet iron. Such 
houses are still in use, but have the disadvantage of being easily robbed. 
Mr. Burrowman and some other Ontario ranchers attempt to 
imitate nature more closely by constructing solid one piece cement dens 
built mostly underground and in well drained spots. They can be made 
quite thief-proof and, indeed, there is apparently no way for the 
keeper to get access to the nest. In the case of one den, at Bothwell, 
Ont., it was only possible to crawl in by shovelling out the small en- 
trance used by the fox. 
The most generally approved houses are wooden constructions, 
placed in the centre of each paddock. The interior consists of an inner 
and an outer kennel, and the entrance for the foxes is through a 
passageway of rectangular cross-section constructed with four boards. 
The interior dimensions of this passageway should be about 74 in. 
by 10 in., and it should slope from the building down to within 6 
inches of the ground. The entrance for the keeper is through a door 
in the end, or else by means of a hinged roof. The door or hinged 
roof is, of course, always kept locked. The house is usually made with 
a floor area 3 feet by 44 feet, or slightly larger. The posts are about 
3 feet high; the walls are boarded, papered and shingled; the floors are 
double boarded with paper between; the roof is boarded, papered and 
shingled and ventilation is proved by openings in both gables. All 
parts that the foxes rub against are smoothed and sand-papered so as 
not to injure the overhair. The building should be set on skids a foot off 
the ground so that the foxes cannot hide under it. 
The inner kennel or nest is to be the home of the young 
See enon foxes and must be large enough to prevent crowding and 
small enough to be warmed by the body heat of the 
animals. The Usual size of the nest is about 18 in. long by 18 in. wide 
by 20 in. in height, but some prefer to make them with floor dimensions 
16 in. by 20 in. The entrance, 8 incnes in diameter, is centred on one 
side; the floor corners are filled up with a triangular piece of moulding; 
three or four half-inch holes are bored in the roof to provide a slight 
ventilation and the roof or cover of the nest can be lifted off so that the 
manager can see into the nest when necessary. The nest is kept warm 
by being packed about on all sides with some material of low thermal 
conductivity. Tne best yet discovered are the ground cork in which 
the Spanish Malaga grapes are packed, dry seaweed, sawdust, chaff 
