FUR FARMING TO SUPPLY WORLD DEMAND 65 



In Alaska, the hunting of blue fox by dogs has been prohibited 

 since 1918 ; as the dogs injure the fur and maul foxes which are 

 branded not to be taken. Latest reports of the fur farms in Alaska 

 show a tendency to provide pens and corrals for the silvers and reds 

 as in Prince Edward Island, but to let the blues run free. One 

 island farmer in 1918 shipped out 224 blue pelts and 15 white, from 

 which his farm yielded $14,000. He had been operating since 

 191 2. The greatest loss of life in the blue fox farms was from the 

 foxes fighting among themselves and from the ravages of eagles 

 on the young pups. One farmer paid the Indians a bonus for eagles 

 killed ; and in 10 years he numbered 1000 eagle claws. 



From Alaska, for which the United States paid $7,200,000, more 

 than $80,000,000 of furs have been taken. In 191 8, more than 

 $2,000,000 of furs were shipped, of which 9000 pelts were beaver, 

 1400 blue fox, 4500 white fox, 7600 lynx, 1000 marten, 24,000 mink, 

 1600 otter, 1 sea otter, 34,800 seal. 



These figures have their own lesson for Canada. North of 

 Athabasca and Labrador, she has the great fur preserves of the con- 

 tinent. Let her farm it as carefully as Uncle Sam is fur farming 

 Alaska, or Prince Edward Island, the silver fox. 



