FUR-FARMING IN CANADA 51 
getting back to the pelt basis, the industry will injure many of its 
followers.’’ 
It is maintained by some that the present craze is similar to 
Ee and the Belgian hare craze in America and the tulip craze in 
Europe, both of which collapsed with a heavy slump. It is 
contended that fox fur is only a poor quality; that silver fox has never 
been bought in large quantities and that, if production is increased, it 
will become as cheap as rabbit; that wild foxes do not decrease in num- 
bers when a country is settled; that investments usually yield from 2 to 
10 per cent per annum and that, therefore, the large profits made by fox 
ranchers during the season of 1912 were abnormal. A smaller propor- 
tion state that the fox boom was promoted by exaggerated statements 
respecting the prices received for pelts and by other misrepresentations. 
They assert that many of the skins marketed have not brought over $50 
or $100 each and that a large proportion of the foxes now in captivity 
is of little more value than red foxes. They also state that the demand 
for silver fox has been supplied and that the Russian nobility and some 
other Europeans are the only ones who will pay a high figure. It is also 
maintained that skins of ranch-bred foxes have not the gloss and quality 
of the product of the wilds. 
On the other hand, it is stated that the supply of valuable wild 
silver fox captured is decreasing, that the demand for costly natural 
furs is rapidly increasing; that only a few hundred silver foxes are in 
captivity and that there is ample time for readjustment ot values before 
enough are reared to warrant marketing for fur. The fact is also 
pointed to that the domestication of fur-bearevs bas been predicted and 
attempted for centuries and that those who achieved the work are 
entitled to reward. Furthermore, it is claimed that when fur is so 
valuable no animals will be sold unless enormous prices are paid; that it 
is proved that the fur is better in all respects than the wild product and 
that the best foxes have not been yet sold and will bring higher prices 
than the present high record, viz. £580. In addition, the best customers 
are millionaires and not the nobility. 
A general comment is all that can be made on the arguments ad- 
vanced. Some of the points are discussed elsewhere in this report, nota- 
bly those respecting the prices obtained for ranch-produced furs as com- 
pared with the wild, the decline in numbers of the natural wild supply, 
and the general excellent quality of ranch-bred stock as compared with 
the wild stock. 
The increased demand and its causes have already been discussed 
and little remains to be said on that subject. It is possible that silver 
