21 



opening, using the knife to separate the skin when necessary, and 

 proceeding down over the head to the lips, w^here the final cuts are 

 made. Thus the skin is turned completely inside out. The tail bone 

 must be carefully withdrawn, preferably by the use as a vise of two 

 firmly held sticks (or a split stick), through which the bone is passed. 

 To facilitate this it may sometimes be necessary to slit the tail on 

 the underside. The skin is then carefully fleshed — that is, all the 

 fat and bits of flesh adhering to it are removed. To dry the skin 

 it is slightly stretched on a long, narrow, somewhat tapering board 

 with a blunt, rounded end. After slipping over the board (hair 

 side in) it should be hung in a cool, dry place and allowed to dry 

 gradually. Ordinarily no preservative is necessary, and the drying 

 should not be hastened by exposure to the sun or artificial heat. 



PROFITS. 



The expense of raising foxes is comparatively small. After build- 

 ing yards and securing stock, running expenses are slight. Without 

 making extensive estimates of the profits of a well established fox 

 farm, it may be said simply that every silver fox raised is likely to 

 yield a pelt having a market value of over $100. Even pale skins 

 bring this figure, and darker ones much more. Pure black skins com- 

 mand almost fabulous prices, ranging from $500 to $2,000. It is 

 therefore evident that a moderate income may be derived by raising 

 comparatively few foxes. In the present stage of the business the 

 sale of foxes for breeding stock is very profitable, as the live animals 

 in good condition often bring fully tw^ice as much as their cured 

 skins. In fact, good, live silver foxes seldom can be obtained for 

 less than $500 per pair, and much higher prices have been paid. 



The high prices paid for silver fox skins undoubtedly are due, at 

 least in part, to the rarity of the animals, and the extensive produc- 

 tion of such skins would necessarily tend to a reduction in price. In- 

 creasing population and wealth, however, insure a large future de- 

 mand for fine furs, and no great decrease in prices is likely to occur 

 until production reaches large proportions. Prominent wholesale 

 dealers are of the opinion that if the production of silver foxes were 

 doubled and redoubled within a few years prices would not thereby 

 be affected materially. 



The greater part of the w^orld's fur is sold annually in London at 

 two auction sales. In 1905, as reported in the Fur Trade Eeview, 

 the total number of silver fox skins offered at the two sales was 1,097. 

 This includes all grades from very pale skins to pure black. No 

 classification is made other than by values, but it is probable that not 

 over 100 of these skins were pure black. In 1906 the total number 

 was 1,934 skins, or nearly double that of 1905, yet the average price 



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