FUR-FARMING IN CANADA 77 



lu one case the canine teeth of a vicious male were cut ofi and he 

 became quite docile. Mink may be safely handled if two pairs of 

 woolen mitts are worn. 



The period of gestation is about six weeks. The tiny 5'oung, which 

 are blind for about five weeks, should not be handled. Before they are 

 six weeks old, the mother leads them out and they begin eating solid 

 food. At six or seven weeks of age they should be taken from the 

 mother, unless she is of a very quiet and gentle temperament. Most 

 of them will become quite tame. 



The following practical hints on mink-farming have 

 on Mink- Farming been recently published in circular form by the 



Biological Survey of the United States Department 

 of Agriculture : 



(1) Minks should be kept in the proportion of one male to five or 

 six females. 



(2) Each breeding female should have a separate pen. The male 

 should be kept by himself except at mating time. The females begin to 

 rut about the middle of February. The male should be admitted to the 

 female for about one day. The young are born about the middle of April. 



(3) The females must be kept alone or they will be likely to kill 

 each other's young. The male would also kill them if he had an oppor- 

 tunity. 



(4) Food: The best steady food for minks is bread and sweet 

 milk, corn-mush and milk, or corn-mush cooked with bits of meat in 

 it. The animals should have meat or fish about twice a week. The 

 meat may be of a very cheap kind. Keep pans clean and feed only as 

 much as the mink will eat up clean at each feeding. Feed once a day, 

 except females that are suckling young. These should be fed twice. 

 Provide fresh water regularly. Do not salt the food. 



(5) Pens: Pens should be 5 or 6 feet square, the sides of smooth 

 wide boards cut 4 feet long and set up with the lower end resting on a 

 footing of stone or concrete 18 inches in the ground. The floor of the 

 pen should be the bare ground. The pens can be built economically in 

 groups of four or more. The sides can be of heavy wire netting instead 

 of boards, but in that case the top would need to be netted or the ani- 

 mals would climb out. 



(6) Boxes: Boxq^ about 2 feet by 1^ feet by 1^ feet in size 

 sliould be provided for nests. They should have hinged lids so as to 

 allow their being opened and examined. Fine straw or hay should be 



