﻿BLUE-POX FARMmG m ALASKA 



23 



material. Biscuits prepared according to the following recipe have 

 been used successfully and are relished by young as well as old 

 foxes : 



Biscuits. — To a mixture of ground whole wheat, middlings, and cracker 

 waste weighing 70 pounds, add 1 pound of baking powder and 30 pounds of 

 cracklings or fish meal. Mix with enough water to form a stiff dough. Place 

 in pans approximately 10 by 12 inches in size and 1^ inches deep, and bake 

 In a slow oven l^^ to 2 hours. 



When thoroughly baked these biscuits are not dry and hard, but 

 are more like cake. They are not fed fresh, but are allowed to stand 

 for a day or two. 



All feed should be given in dishes, preferably of aluminum or 

 earthenware. Under no circumstances should it be thrown on the 

 ground, as such practice makes it impossible to keep the surround- 

 ings clean and sanitary and the feed itself from becoming con- 

 taminated. 



Fig. 23. — A basket arrangement like that illustrated is built in. a stream to freslien 



salt fish 



Fresh clean water should be accessible to the foxes at all times, 

 whether supplied by streams on the island or placed in dishes. 



QUANTITY AND FREQUENCY OF FEEDING 



The quantity of feed supplied depends entirely on the season of the 

 year and the age, appetite, and condition of the stock. Foxes should 

 be fed fairly heavily just before the breeding season, so they will 

 be in good, vigorous condition. Some ranchers believe that heavy 

 feeding at this time will bring on the oestrum quicker and increase 

 the chances of conception. Forced feeding has a tendency to make 

 the fur prime sooner than it would be naturally, but the advisability 

 of practicing this is questionable, because in many cases the fur 

 thus becomes prime hteiore the skin. 



Appetite is a good index to feeding, and the quantity of feed 

 sup|>li('(l should be regulated so that the foxes will remain active 

 and sliow an eagerness to eat. 



