482 Yearbook of the Department of Agriculture, 1919. 



HOW TO HAVE MORE AND BETTER FUR. 



Reports recently received by the Biological Survey from a 

 large number of raw-fur buyers generally agree that the 

 supply of wild fur has decreased greatly since 1910. In 

 many of these reports the shrinkage is estimated at from 

 25 to 50 per cent in 10 years. A review of the great fur 

 sales recently held in this country shows that the stock dis- 

 posed of was brought from all parts of the world to supply 

 the American trade. Manufactured furs in 1919 cost ap- 

 proximately 200 per cent more than the same grade of furs 

 bought two 3'ears before, and skins of animals formerly re- 

 garded as having little or no fur value were made up into 

 garments selling at from $100 to $150 each. All this goes 

 to show that the demand for fur is far greater than can be 

 met. Evidently the time is at hand when steps should be 

 taken to increase and improve the fur supply. Trappers, 

 dealers, manufacturers, and wearers, possessing in the ag- 

 gregate a tremendous moral and financial influence, want 

 more and better fur. 



Among the bad practices which have reduced the number 

 of fur bearers are: (1) Using poison, which kills many 

 animals that are not found before their skins are spoiled; 

 (2) smoking animals out of their dens, which often suf- 

 focates them instead of forcing them out; (3) destroying 

 dens, which either leaves the animals without suitable places 

 in which to rear their young or drives them out of the neigh- 

 borhood altogether; (-4) trapping early in fall, which 

 catches animals having small, unprime pelts before they are 

 old enough to be suspicious of traps; and (5) trapping late 

 in spring, which destroys breeding females with young. 



If no early or late trapping were done there would be 

 fewer animals taken, but on the other hand the value of the 

 catch and the number of animals left to breed another sea- 

 son would be far greater. Skins are prime for about two 

 months after the molt is completed, and during this time 

 they have no dark spots on the flesh side. They are worth 

 much more when prime (fig. 20) than when unprime (fig. 

 23). Muskrat and beaver pelts are best in February and 

 March, while those of other fur bearers are best from late in 

 November till about the end of January. 



