FOX-FARMING 



CHAPTER XXX 



WHILE the value of our own red rascal 

 lies in the sport he affords, many of his 

 relations abroad are more sought after 

 for their fur. In the palmy days of trapping, 

 when beaver, buffalo, and Indians were plentiful, 

 the pursuit of fur-bearing animals was a hard, 

 but paying business. It is so to-day in certain 

 districts of America, and both white men and 

 Indians annually repair to the northern trapping 

 grounds. Both prospector and trapper are ever 

 urged to greater exertions, the former by the lure 

 of gold, the latter in the hope that he may secure 

 the chief prize of the woods, i.e., the skin of a 

 silver fox in prime condition. 



The more common furs, such as coon, skunk, 

 civet, red-fox, and the like, can be secured in 

 almost any district, but the valuable furs con- 

 sisting of marten, beaver, silver fox, and lynx, 

 are only found in out of the way places, where 

 the forest primeval is their home. The lure of 

 the silver fox is strong, for a thousand dollars is, 

 or perhaps I had better say was — the present 

 slump in the rarer furs having brought down 

 values — a very ordinary price for a good black 

 fox skin. In 1907 as much as two thousand 

 seven hundred and forty dollars was paid for such 

 a pelt at the London fur sales. 



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