OCR Text |
Show I ; Encouragement I I In Breeding Fur- I ; Bearing Animals B ' Up to tliu piesont thno oxpcrlmonts B j In breeding liir benrors liavo been m F carried on only with minks and mar- M r tens. At tlio two stations, I'rlchard, 1 Malm, and the National Zoological R l'ailc, minks liavc lircd, nnil tlio heal B ( thy condition of tlio yoimr- nnlinals m promises sutcoss. Tlio stock of r'ar B tens was secured too lata for the nnlinals to breed Inst season. 'I'll Is year It Is, Intended to mid raccoons, fckunks, and possibly foxes to llio list or niilmnls to be Included In tho&o p- pertinents. Bj During tlio spring an asslsutu Is- BBJ,' ltcd Now llriinswlrk, Prtnre Edward ' Island, and other portions of I ho ens ' tern Hrltlsh Provinces and New Ems- BBJf hind, for thu purpose- of studying tlio BBJj methods In vogtio In tlio legion for rearing focs and other fur hearers. : Data on Improved mothods of rals'ug j foxes will soon bo published to bring BBh1 up to date prellmlnnry 'nfornuttlon BBS- furnished In l'JOS In Farmers Hullo- B tin 328, Silver Fox Kuriutn;-. BBK' Moleskins havo been extoiiHively BmB used In this country during the last S few years In making fur gitmontfl, H and practically all of tlm supply has a been Imported from Europe In tlio BB bollcf that tho common nu'o ot eas H tern United States prodi'tou Mr o' BBj equal value, skins woro submitted to BBJ professional furriers, who stated that BBI thn iiuallty Is superior to Iho fnroljin H product. A report on tho economic H hiatus of thu eastern species "-a H published during tho year. Thu ntolo H Inhabiting .tho northwestern cojst Is H lnrgcr than tho common oaslern spo- H eles, mid a number of these have b(ou H collected In order to obtain report H on tho iiuallty of tho pelt. If l ho tex- H turo of tho fur proves to bo as gocd H us that of tho eastern animal, thoro H Is no reason why trappers should H; not sucuro a good Income by enptur- H i ing thesu animals, as tho are thoy H liihnblt Is oxtenslvo. In many lo- H cnlltles an aero of ground nupports BBJ' B many as a hundred Individuals. H ( It this little animal can bo profitably M trapped for Us fur, tho problem of Iiroclng agricultural areas from It will practically bo solved. Investigations Into tho ccou "lc nluo of North American skunki resulted re-sulted In tho publication of i I'uriu era llullotin on tho subject. It has been found that this animal Is one of tho most useful of natlvo mammals and a most efficient help to tho farm er and tho orchardlst in their war-faro war-faro against Insect and rodent pests. As n source of fur It Is nlso a com morclal asset, tho skins nottln,- trdp-pors trdp-pors about $3,000,000 annually. Ah tho skunk Is valuablo In Its activities ns woll as for Its fur, experiments In breeding tho animals In captivity aro recommended. Extract from Annual An-nual Itepoit of tho llurcau ot UloloM cal Survey, U. S. Department of f-rlculturo. |