64 COMMISSION OF CONSERVATION 



America for many years. The story of the Royal Russian furs is 

 doubtless derived from the fact that certain sable and other costly 

 furs were formerly given as tribute to royalty. Ermine happens to be 

 a roj'al fur and is demanded at coronations and great court ceremonies, 

 yet it is stated that much of the so-called 'ermine' at the coronation of 

 King George V was really rabbit. The best customers of silver fox 

 will be fashionable ladies who will use it in trimmings, stoles and muffs. 

 Because of the removal of foxes to new ranches in 

 inCapUvity °^*^ September, October and November while this inves- 

 tigation was proceeding, no very exact data could be 

 procured regarding the number of silver foxes. The following is an 

 estimate of the number in captivity in each province in October, 1912: 



Foxes in Captivity in Canada in 1912 



Bastard No. of 



Silver Cross and Red Ranches 



P. E. Island 650 150 1,000 200 



Nova Scotia 32 30 150 13 



New Brunswick 30 10 50 8 



Quebec 40 10 50 6 



Ontario 30 40 150 14 



Other provinces and territories 18 10 50 



Total 800 250 1,450 241 



The silver fox industry is centred about the following points: Al- 

 berton, Summerside, Charlottetown and Montague in Prince Edward 

 Island; Port Elgin in New Brunswick; Piastre Baie on the north shore 

 of the gulf of St. Lawrence, Quebec city in Quebec, and Wyoming in On- 

 tario. In November, 1913, the number of silver foxes within driving 

 distance of each point was approximately as follows: Alberton, 500; 

 Summerside, 300; Charlottetown, 300; Montague, 50; Murray Harbour, 

 40; Port Elgin, N.B., 60; Quebec city, 30; Piastre Baie, 20; Wyoming, 

 20. In the United States there are several ranches in Maine, one in 

 New Hampshire and one in Minnesota. In Russia, a number of fox and 

 sable farms have been established since M. Vladimir Generosoff aroused 

 interest by his re])ort on Canadian fox farms. 



Since, under present ranching conditions, silver foxes 

 h?Numbers^^ increase in numbers approximately 100 per cent each 



year, it seems evident that the present prices for founda- 

 tion stock must decline to near the pelt value before many years. 

 The price of the scrub stock and of specimens with the poorer grade 

 of skins will decline first. It is likely that this inferior stock will be 

 used for mating with red and cross foxes which, by the year 1916, 

 should be producing a large number of silvers, mostly of poor quality, 

 however. 



