FUR AND FORESTRY 



MR. Clarence Krahmcr, with Albrecht and Com- 

 pany, St. Paul, was requested at the recent For- 

 estry Association meeting, to make a few remarks on 

 the fur industry in this State, and among other things 

 he stated: "Raw furs are becoming very scarce in 

 .Minnesota. AVithin a ten year period minks have been 

 greatly reduced, due principally to an unnecessary 

 en tch especially at odd seasons of the year. A fur- 

 rier looks at a pelt from its commercial value point 

 of view, and he doesn't want it when taken at off times. 

 The pelt must be perfectly prime, and in order to be 

 prime it must be caught during the winter season. 

 .Many trappers want to ply their trade while the weath- 

 er is pleasant, but the commercial value of the skin is 

 thereby lessened; and as long as we have the fur busi- 

 ness with us we like to see the animals continue to 

 grow. In this connection, I believe we can only keep 

 them growing by permitting ditch-heads to be main- 

 tained in Minnesota. We have so many lakes with 

 their beautiful scenery, so much water in general, that 

 we have hardly given thought to the drainage propo- 

 sition being put thru in the state. I am inclined to 

 think it was undertaken hurriedly, and in future years 

 it may be seen as a rather disastrous measure. It is 

 obvious that forests must have a certain amount of 

 moisture in order to grow, and if the sub-stratum of 

 water is drained the moisture \vill not be brought to the 

 surface. The forests are then bound to suffer, and with 

 their disappearance the game and fur-bearing animals 

 will vanish as well. 



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