FUR FARMING SECTION
Tills section is open fcr discussion of anything pertaining
to fur farming.
Information concerning stock, site, house and pen con
struction, equipment, cost, breeding, mating, feeding, cooking
recipes, sanitation, prevention of contagious diseases, disinfec
tion, trapping, killing, pelting, marketing, packing, shipping
and other notes are welcomed for publication,—with due credit
to the author.
This section is intended to be the common meeting ground
for fur farmers. Interchange of ideas, helpful information, con
structive suggestions anent these particulars should readily
solve vexatious problems of fur farming. Readers are urged to
take advantage of this section and help The Gateway foster fur
farming throughout Alaska.
I BLUE-FOX FARMING IN ALASKA 1
• By Frank G. Ashbrook, Bureau of Biological Survey)
Characteristics of a Good Pelt
Primeness.—In general, in judg
jng a blue-fox pelt the, main tiling
to be kept in mind is quality, and
this is affected by many factors.
First, the pelt must be prime. This
Is determined by examining the
skin side, which, if the pelt is fresh,
should be fairly white or cream
colored and show some “life’' when
handled. This side turns yellow i
with age and loses its firmness. The i
skin should be perfectly and evenly j
furred, both on the back and cn ,
the belly, with the fur reasonably
-ong, lustrous, and silky. Guard
hairs should be evenly and thickly
distributed, as the silky texture and
lustre axe largely dependent upon
them. The brush should be suf
ficiently long to maintain a bal- «
ance with the rest of the pelt. There j
should be no rubbed spots or de- J
iects.
Clearness of color is an import
ant factor in determining the qual
ity of a pelt. There should be no
tinge or rust to give the charac
teristic chocolate or brownish cast.
Careful fur buyers make a greater
cut in price of a pelt having a rust
or tinge than for any other defect.
As a rule, more is paid for a clear,
bright-colored pelt not so well
furred than for a well-furred skin
with a brownish or faded appear
ance.
Size is the last consideration in j
valuing a pelt. A difference of j
three, four or five inches does not j
reduce the value of a skin, pro
vided it passes other requirements.
An extra large pelt is not desirable,
for the principal reason that it is
not becoming to the average
wearer. j
Losses from Depredations
Some losses among foxes are
caused by predatory birds and
mammals. Eagles are widely charg
ed with catching young foxes, and
there are authentic records of their
I
doing so. The fur farmer is well
warranted in making war upon
them in the vicinity of the fox
ranch. Wolves have been reported
as killing foxes, but it is believed
that instances are rare.
Sanitation and Treatment of
Disease
The diseases of the blue fox in !
Alaska are few, and the distances j
between islands lessen the danger j
of transmission of disease and
parasites. In maintaining the health
of foxes, preventive measures j
against disease must be chiefly re
lied upon. With the blue fox the
prevention of disease is far easier
than its treatment.
Sanitation.—Places frequented by
foxes should be kept reasonably
clean, particularly in the vicinity
of the dens and feeding grounds.
This is very difficult, especially
where foxes are at liberty to roam
an entire island; but in spite of
this, some attempts to clean up
should be made.
Close attention should be given
to the methods of feeding. Noth
ing knit clean, wholesome feed
should be given. Animals that have
died should not be fed to foxes un
less the meat can be made safe by
thorough cooking. No moldy feed
should ever be used, as it causes
dia-. rhoa and sometimes death.
Foxes can not be prevented from
carrying food into their dens, but
this habit can be lessened by feed
ing them at regular intervals and
by giving only as much as will be
consumed with relish. Food left
at the: dens or the feed houses for
any length of time will mold or
otherwise spoil. All dishes used
should be clean and the water sup
plied should be pure and fresh.
When blue foxes are first pur-!
chased they should be carefully ex
amined for any abnormal condi
tions. Even though apparently in
^ Affiliated uith the
\Wc5t Const Grocery Co.
FUR SALES DATES 1932
JANUARY 20
FEBRUARY 24
MARCH .23
APRIL .27
MAY .25
JUNE .29
JULY .27
AUGUST 31
SEPTEMBER 28
OCTOBER.26
NOVEMBER 30
DECEMBER 28
WEST COAST RJR SALES,INC.
TACOM A. WASH I NOTCH
SEWING THE ALASKA FUR SHIPPER SINCE §902
I*8
! Healy River Coal
w
ft --
j Economical Dependable
i Safe
! FREE FROM SOOT
£ GRADED TO SUIT EVERY NEED
£ PRICED TO SUIT EVERY PURSE
Healy River Coal Corp.
HOME OFFICE: ANCHORAGE. ALASKA
good health, they should be placed
in pens and kept under quarantine
and close observation two to four
weeks before being turned loose.
Sick animals should be captured
and isolated at once to prevent the
spread of disease; and if disease
breaks out on an island, or on a
ranch, a strict quarantine should
be maintained.
Dead foxes should never be per
mitted to lie around, but should be
burned or buried. If it is desirable
to examine a dead body, cut open
the chest and abdomen the entire
length. Examine the stomach and
intestines for worms. If pneumonia
was the cause of death, the lungs
will be a dull red and will sink
when placed in water,
i Treatment of Disease. — Taking
I measures looking toward sanitation
and the prevention of disease are
functions of the fox fanner. Treat*
ing disease, however, calls for a
veterinarian, and the diagnosis of
disease and the administration of
drugs are the province of experts.
A fox farmer’s general knowledge
i of diseases and the application of
remedies is naturally limited. Blue
; foxes are difficult to treat, and in
administering remedies it is neces- ;
sary to employ strategy. Mature j
foxes usually can not be treated:
successfully except by catching and
then restraining them with either
wooden or metal tongs, such as are
advertised extensively in fur-farm
ing magazines. Sometimes the fox
can be induced to eat tasteless
medicine placed in food.
■
1 When fox pups start to look for
food they sometimes eat to excess,
\ and the resulting indigestion is in
dicated by cramps or colic. A fox
i
showing such symptoms should be
captured and given one or two tea
spoonfuls of castor oil. It the ani
mal is cold or has been wet it
should be kept warm and confined
in a box; if it is bloated or swollen,
Epsom salt should be administered,
one-half teaspoonful in two table
spoonfuls of hot water. No food
should be given but hot milk or hot
beef tea. Rough handling should be
avoided, and time enough should be
allowed for the frightened puppy
properly to swallow liquids. A fa
tal pneumonia is apt to be caused
by pouring more liquid into the
mouth than can be swallowed.
(Please turn to rage Seven)
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^Sleeping
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I Get yours early, from your dealer, i
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DISTRIBUTORS:
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■ _I__
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H. A. Barker. NotasuU'tJ
A la., whose Mink ski
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last year's show.
YOU CAN WIN
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2nd Award 500.00
3rd Award .250.00
4th Award .100.00
215 Honorable
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MUSKRATS FOR SALE
Avoid the hazards of long
distance shipment. Rocky
Mt. strain Muskrats: $50.00
per dozen mill run, crated
at Whale Island, Alaska.
KLANER & PARKER
Afognak, Alaska.
!
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Game heads, fur rugs, birds,
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Your raw fur skins dressed
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choker& .
Write for free catalogue.
JONAS BROS.
1830 Broadway, Denver, Colo.
NEW YORK
Wants Your
FURS
The purchasing power
of the American fur in
dustry is concentrated in
New York, the fur center
of the world. Offer your
raw furs to these buyers
through the NEW YORK
AUCTION CO., INC. This
fs the safest and best
method of marketing your
merchandise.
Let us put you on our
mailing list. Write us
today.
rNEW YORK AUCTION Cftl
Incorporated
226 West ^6th Street
NEW YORK
■ The BEST place for
CLEANING
PRESSING
aod ALTERATIONS
AT
C. Henning’s
Tailor Shop
NUKA BAY TRANS
PORTATION CO.
MS ROLPH m
Leaves Seward 20th
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Capt. Pete Satber
Bor Charter or Hire
T
Telephone Mam 34
M’Mullen’s Grocery
FOR PROMPT DELIVERY
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MAIL AND PHONE ORDERS PROMPTLY
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Agent for The Kohler Automatic Power
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Oils, Greases and Gasoline
Agent and Installing Engineers for Fur
nace Oil Burners
|l PLUMBING
i TINNING
ij STEAMFITTING
I GENERAL MACHINE
| WORK, REPAIRING
a
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1 ALL WORK GUARANTEED — MADISON Si
4
It
♦