10 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE BULS. 1326-1350 



Department Bulletin No. 1350. — Blue-Fox Farming in Alaska: p a go 



Introduction 1 



What is a blue fox? 3 



Brief history of blue-fox farming 4 



Fox-growing areas in Alaska 5 



Selecting an island or ranch site 7 



Climate and shade 7 



Location and soil 8 



Harbor facilities 9 



Food supply 9 



Water 9 



Island area 10 



Ranch organization 10 



Structures 10 



Trap-feed houses 12 



Breeding stock and equipment 15 



Essentials of breeding 16 



Pelts 17 



Conformation 18 



Breeding 18 



Time of breeding 19 



Mating 19 



Essentials of feeding 19 



Kinds of feed 20 



Methods of preparing and feeding 21 



Quantity and frequency 23 



Transportation 24 



Pelting 25 



Primeness 25 



Killing 26 



Skinning 26 



Drying pelts 27 



Characteristics of a good pelt 28 



Losses from depredations 29 



Sanitation and treatment of disease 29 



Failures and abandonments 31 



Breeders' associations and ranches 32 



White-fox farming in northern Alaska 32 



Publications relating to fur animals 31 



