measures are necessary to preserve fur-bearing ani- 

 mals. 



Department Circular 135 asserts that a greatly in- 

 creased production can be made possible only by 

 domesticating the animals, just as live stock are now 

 raised, and by establishing preserves for them where 

 they will be safe from molestation. Protected areas 

 stocked with the best fur animals that can be found 

 will become centers from which choice breeding stock 

 can be obtained for establishing other preserves and 

 for private use. 



Soon Learn Places of Safety 



Wild creatures soon learn where they are safe from 

 molestation. Wild water-fowl in city parks swarm 

 around visitors who feed them as if they were do- 

 mesticated. Wardens in Jaspar Park, Alberta, say 

 that as soon as the hunting season approaches many 

 wild animals take refuge in the park. 



Muskrat farming is a profitable industry in Mary- 

 land. Marsh owners in Dorchester County harvest 

 from 100,000 to 125,000 muskrat skins a year. There 

 is a market for the meat as well as for the fur. A 

 single Baltimore firm handles 25,000 to 30,000 musk- 

 rat carcasses a year and is unable to supply the de- 

 mand at that. One Maryland hotel has them on the 

 bill of fare as "marsh-rabbit." Marshes that were 

 considered valueless are now worth from $30 to $40 

 an acre for muskrat culture. 



Experiments in propagating fur animals in confine- 

 ment have been tried with varying results. The De- 

 partment of Agriculture has already determined that 

 silver foxes, black foxes, blue foxes, skunks, and 



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