TRANSFER FROM EUROPE TO AMERICA 



with a bag of pelts to-day representing six months' work, on which 

 he realizes more than the old California Forty-Niner realized on 

 a bag of gold dust. 



Figures are tiresome ; but look at this scale of figures and trans- 

 late it in terms of silver fox neck pieces sheeny as silver, or sable 

 soft as a veil of down, or broadtail with the lustre of onyx, or beaver 

 golden brown as autumn leaves in a mid-day sun, with the very 

 tang of the wilds and smell of the woods and crackle of ozone frost 

 in the romantic atmosphere of furs. 



Imports of furs to the United States have gone up 250% in 

 four years. 



In 1870, there were only twenty-one fur firms in New York. 

 There are now thousands. 



Otter, which I have bought from trappers in British Columbia 

 at #25 for two perfect skins, brought in Montreal and New York 

 this spring #100 for the best pelts. 



English dealers used to pay 10^ a pound for rabbit, to be dyed 

 and resold as Near and Electric seal. This year England has paid 

 as high as 50^ a pound and imported 90,000,000 rabbits. In the 

 New York auction sales, best Australian rabbit sold at from #1.40 

 to $3.15. 



In 1919, muskrats, which you will buy dyed as Hudson seal, 

 or imitation mink, were selling up at Norway House, north-east oi 

 Lake Winnipeg, for 50^. By 1920, they were selling at #5. 



