| Show THERE IS MONEY IN N FOX FARMING Industry Is Rapidly Gaining Favor Favorin in Several of Northern States of Country MANY ANIMALS IN CAPTIVITY Best Location for Farm Is Where Winters Are Cold and Opportunity Offered to Develop Fur Fur Big Big Price for Pelts Prepared by tho United d States Department r ment of ot Agriculture Fox farming is fast gaining favor av r rIn fn to the United States The industry barely known a d decade cade ago Is fairly common in some states of the northern tier iier is represented In all states In this tier and In that next to It and Is growing rapidly There Is money In It for the raiser who starts modestly learns the business and then expands his holdings There arc are losses In store for the Ole type who starts with a big ranch no knowledge of the business and only a desire for quick profits At the present time the Industry Is undergoing a process of stabilization Most 1 fox farmers raise animals for breeding purposes and comparatively few Cew have adjusted the business to a apelt apelt pelt elt basis All AU told there are between and silver foxes being grown In Jn captivity on American fox for arms at this time Many Animals In Canada Such are are arc some of the conclusions of Dl a representative of the biological survey buney United States Department of Agriculture who has Just returned to Washington after an extensive Investigation investigation I I of American fox farms and andA LAY Jv R w y A Sliver Silver Fox the methods of their operation In Canada where the Industry originated and especially on Prince Edward Island island Is is- land where where- there are approximately foxes In captivity fox farming is conducted on a much more extensive scale than In the United States Its promise of good financial returns to those willing to master its problems give Indication that within a comparatively comparatively short time In this country It will rival In proportions the Industry In Canada The best location for a fox farm Is where the winters are cold and the fox may have opportunity to develop fur tur In keeping with the needs of ot the climate The Industry Is thus confined by climatic conditions to the northern states There the raising of foxes for breeding and for the fur markets flour flour- Most of the foxes raised in captivity are on farms or ranches with pens for from 25 to 50 pairs although although although al al- al- al though In occasional Instances the tho ranches are much larger containing pens for as many as pairs I The foxes generally breed In January January Janu Janu- I Iary ary and February and the young are I born bom within 52 62 da days s A pair pall of foxes raises one family a year the number of young oung varying from one to ten though rarely exceeding five Live or six Most of the fox raisers raiser's troubled trouble come when the young are a n few weeks old and und are peculiarly susceptible to att at at- t s from worms Great care Is neels nee nee- ls l's to carry the young foxes through h this period Most Foxes Sold for Breeding It Is not advisable to kill a n fox for forthe forthe forthe the pelt before IS 18 months of age for forat forat forat at that time Its fur Is more valuable than at a n younger age Comparatively Comparative Comparative- ly few of the foxes raised on American Ameri Amerl American can ranches are sold at the present time however for their pelts Most of the ranchmen obtain higher values than the worth of the pelt by selling the live animals for breeding purposes A good pelt ma may fetch as m much ch as though the average Is much lower approximating to The TLe furs are arc comparatively little known because because be be- cause of f their rarity Silver SIler fox foxes vary alY from those in ia which the color Is entirely sliver silver to those In which It II ItIs itis Is entirely black except c for some whIte banded hairs on the back and rump In the black fox tox the white Is absent from all aU parts except the tip of the tall which Is generally white whits In all phases of the animal |
