Proceedings of the Farmers' Club. 505 



the liahits and experimenting upon tlie practicability of rearing in 

 confineujent these and other fur-bearing animals. In reply to some 

 interrogations of mine, he kindl}^ stated that minks are by nature 

 solitai-y, wandering creatures, being seldom seen in company except 

 during the breeding season. It is, therefore, impossible for them to 

 be reared successfully if large numbers are kept constantly together. 

 Tlie females, at certain times, will quarrel and fight, and even kill 

 their own and each other's offspring. At least Mr. Stratton has 

 found it so, invariablj^ He tliinks, however, that possibly, after a 

 few generations, they might become partially domesticated — their 

 wild nature, in a measure be " bred out." Still, at the begin- 

 ning, they may, with pi'oper treatment and careful handling be 

 made to spare their 3'oung, even , if several are kept together, 

 provided the inclosure be a large one, and have suitable 

 accommodations for feed, water, (fee. Tlie male and female 

 should be permitted to be together ftequently from the middle of 

 I^ebruary until the middle of Marcli. At all other times, keep them 

 entirely separate. The young minks make their appearance about 

 the first of May. When w^ild in the woods, they will seldom vary 

 five days from this time ; but when kept in confinement there is 

 greater variation. About this season they should have plenty of fine 

 hay, whicli they will carry into their boxes to make nests. A box 

 three or four feet long and eighteen inches wide, is the shape they 

 prefer ; it should be placed as far as possible from the water, to pre- 

 vent the mink from carrying water and mud into it. The young 

 minks when first born are small and delicate, destitute of any kind of 

 fur, and much resembling young rats. If the old mink is tame, the 

 young ones may be taken out of the nest and handled when they are 

 three weeks old. They will soon learn to drink milk, and may be 

 fed every day. At five weeks old they may be taken from the 

 mother and put into a pen by themselves, when they will soon become 

 very playful and pretty, and make mucli better mothers than they 

 would if allowed to run with the old ones. Mr. Stratton has a plan 

 for the construction of a mink-pen, whicli he has never tried, but 

 which he says he should try were lie to engage in the mink business 

 again. The shelter should be in the shape of a long box, five or six 

 feet wide, and three or four feet high, set upon legs, and with a good 

 floor and roof. Divide it into separate apartments, six feet long (or 

 longer would be better), the front of each apartment to be furnished 

 with a swinging door of strong wire screen, with the hinges at the 



