FUR-FARMING IN CANADA 79 



order to obtain a ranch-bred litter, it would be advisable to cut ofE the 

 canine teeth of the male. This can be done with an apple stemmer, 

 dentist's forceps, or even an ordinary pair of pincers. The litter of 

 ranch-bred marten, if removed from the mother when about two months 

 old, will be much tamer. The marten was domesticated by the ancient 

 Eomans and used for the same purposes as a ferret. 



Mating takes place in January or February. The period of gesta- 

 tion is a little more than three months. The young are seen outside the 

 uest when about eight weeks of age. They are full grown at six months 

 and breed when a year old. The number of young in a litter ranges 

 from one to five. 



Directions for feeding are the same as for mink. One meal a day 

 is sufficient for either in order to keep them in good breeding condition. 



Marten should be transported in metal-lined boxes, because they 

 will eat their way through a sound inch board. If the Hudson Bay 

 marten can be bred as a domestic animal, there will be no difficulty in 

 finding a market for the skins. At the present time, Asia produces 

 75,000 sable skins annually, and North America 120,000. The ex- 

 perience of rearing the Hudson Bay marten would probably lead to 

 the domestication of the Siberian marten or Eussian sable, which is a 

 smaller animal, but whose fur is much more valuable. As the fur would 

 be more generally favoured and fashionable, besides being more durable, 

 there can be no doubt that the total trade possible in marten skins 

 would be as great as in all kinds of fox skins combined. 



O' 



FISHER, PEKAN, OR PENNANT MARTEN 

 (Mustcla Pcnnanti) 



Only two ranches were found in which the fisher, or pekan, or 

 Pennant marten, was kept. The experiments at one of these appeared 

 to be quite successful as far as conducted, the animals being quite tract- 

 able and in good condition. The owners are confident of final success, 

 but no yotmg have yet been produced. 



The fisher is about two feet long and has a large bushy tail. At 

 first sight, it resembles a black cat, and hence has received that name 

 locally. It is the swiftest and fiercest of the weasel family and can 

 catch a marten in an open chase, jumping from limbs even 30 or 40 

 feet high to the ground. When it is known that the marten can catch 

 the squirrel, the significance of this feat can be appreciated. 



Ranching methods should ho the same as for marten, but on a scale 

 of twice the dimensions. Mating takes place about March 1. Young, 

 numbering from one to fivo, arc born n1)0ut May 1. It is believed by 



