FERRET RAISING AS A BUSINESS. 167 



only to adjoining states but westward beyond 

 the Mississippi river. There is room for more, 

 especially in and near "ratty places". 



The ferret industry is one of much more im- 

 portance than generally supposed from the fact 

 that probably fifty times as many of the animals 

 are in use as those not familiar with their uses 

 realize. In thousands of buildings ferrets are 

 doing much good in destroying and keeping away 

 rats, the great pest not only in dwellings, but 

 mills, elevators, granaries, barns, etc. 



In states where rabbit hunting with ferrets is 

 lawful, many are used, as rabbits driven out and 

 caught are not shot up or damaged as is often 

 the case when killed by other methods. The fer- 

 ret user, who hunts for market, puts his animal 

 in the den and catches the rabbit in his hands, 

 net or a sack, placed over the mouth of the den, 

 as it comes out. 



So far ferrets have mostly been used for rats 

 and rabbits. During recent years a few have 

 been used for fur hunting, principally on mink 

 and skunk. There is also more or less call, prin- 

 cipally from west of the Mississippi river, for 

 an animal, or other means, of destroying ground 

 squirrels, gophers, prairie dogs and other small 

 animal pests. Where large, old and vseveral fer- 

 rets are used they are of considerable value for 



