FUR FACTS 137 



require the investment or near the risk as a red fox ranch can be 

 started in a very modest way. Red fox pelts are always in demand, 

 especially well furred and seasonable pelts. 



Grey Fox 



The grey fox is common throughout the central and southern 

 states, is found in large numbers in Texas, California, Oregon, 

 Washington, Kentucky and Tennessee. The grey fox fur is coarse 

 and for this reason is not considered very highly by the furriers. 

 The pelt is the cheapest of all fox furs — ^that is, all American foxes. 

 The grey fox is very hardy and should be easy to raise. 



Cross or Patch Fox 



The cross or patch fox belongs to the red fox family and is just 

 another variation. It dififers from the silver fox in that it is dark 

 red where the silver fox is black, and while it is oftentimes silver 

 tipped like the silver fox, it has a reddish cast instead of black. It 

 also has a distinct cross down the back of the neck and across the 

 shoulders, the fur being usually much darker here than on the rest 

 of the body, thus forming a distinct cross. There are some beautiful 

 specimens of the cross or patch fox and these rank next in value to 

 the silver fox. 



White Fox 



The white fox is found only in the arctic regions. It is snow white in 

 color and very beautiful. It is worn very largely in its natural color, 

 but it is also dyed many diflFerent shades, the most popular at the 

 present time being the platinum shade. White fox have never been 

 domesticated and no attempt has been made to successfully raise 

 them, except that on the government fox ranches on the Pribiloff 

 Islands a few white foxes are taken annually. 



Blue Fox 



There are numerous blue fox farms on the islands oflE the coast of 

 Alaska; in fact the trade depends almost entirely on these island 

 fox farms for their supply of Alaska blue fox. The United States 

 Government annually takes several hundred blue fox pelts from St. 

 George and St. Paul Islands of the Pribiloff Group. There are 

 independent fox ranches successfully raising blue fox on a large 

 scale on the Aelutian Islands and other small islands near the coast 

 of Alaska. 



