The domesticated silver fox

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Marck 26, 1977

i aa MAR 26. 1917

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DOMESTICATED SILVER FOX

NED DEARBORN

Assistant Biologist, Bureau of Biological Survey

FARMERS’ BULLETIN 795
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Contribution from the Bureau of Biological Survey
E. W. NELSON Chief

| Washington, D. C. March, 1917

OX FARMING, or as it is called in Canadian Proy-
inces, “fox ranching,” has attracted wide notice
chiefly because of the enormous profits claimed for it. As
would be expected in the case of a new and _ profitable
business, many erroneous impressions have been entertained,
the result of misleading statements made partly through
lack of authentic information and partly with the purpose
of interesting investors. When rightly undertaken, how-
ever, and with due consideration to climate, surroundings,
and breeding stock, fox farming, and especially the breed-
ing of silver foxes, frequently has proved profitable.

In the following pages are considered facts relative to
the development of silver fox farming; the precautions
necessary to be taken with the animals in breeding and in
sickness and health; the construction of inclosures and nest-
ing dens; the expenses of the business as well as its profits;
and, in general, how and where fox farming may be
undertaken with the promise of any degree of success.
The distinction between red, cross, silver, and black foxes
is explained and the relative values of the pelts discussed.

The softer and more beautiful furs naturally bring the
higher prices, and few wild fur-bearing animals surpass
the silver fox in this respect.

The lessening numbers of the animals in the wild state
together with the increasing demand for their furs sound a
warning that if this demand is to continue to be met it must
be through domestication.

In certain cool climates the animals may be reared in
captivity just as are domestic cattle and poultry. The areas
suitable in the main for experiments in silver fox farming
may be ascertained by reference to the map and its explana-
tion on page 8.

THE DOMESTICATED SILVER FOX.

CONTENTS.
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INTRODUCTION.

From time immemorial furs have been worn for protection and
adornment. With the increase of population and of encroachments
upon the breeding grounds of fur-bearing animals the supply of furs
has steadily diminished and prices have correspondingly advanced.
Trappers have been stimulated to penetrate farther and farther into
the uninhabited regions of the North and to redouble their efforts to
increase their catch nearer home. Many of the more valuable ani-
mals have thus become so scarce that the demand for their pelts is
met by the substitution of inferior products.

The natural production of first-class furs seems to be approaching
a sure end, and the demand for them requires that the present supply
be supplemented through domestication of fur-bearing animals. As
some of the fur bearers may be raised without much difficulty, the
establishment of fur farming on a small scale may be expected in
many places along our northern border, much as poultry is now
raised as an additional source of income on farms. When properly
conducted, fur farming may become very profitable. It will pay not
only in direct returns to the producer, but, indirectly, the desire for
furs can be gratified, the killing off of the most valuable and interest-
ing of our fur bearers prevented, and an extensive branch of manufac-
ture and trade supporting a large population continued.

Nore.—This bulletin, based on Department Bulletin No. 301, ‘‘ Silver Fox Farming in
Eastern North America” (1915), has been prepared to supersede Farmers’ Bulletin
No. 328, ‘‘ Silver Fox Farming’ (1908). It is for general distribution in areas shown
by shading in the map on page 8.

2
o

4 FARMERS’ BULLETIN 795.

The first American fur animal to be domesticated permanently
was the silver or silver-gray fox (fig. 1), a rare and beautiful color
phase of the common red fox! found in nearly all of the United
States and Canada.

The relation of silver foxes to ordinary red foxes is the same as
that of black squirrels to gray squirrels, or black muskrats to brown
muskrats. That is to say, the black individuals are of the same
species as those having the regular color. In a litter of fox cubs born
of red parents, perhaps there may be one silver. On the other hand,
one or more of the cubs of a wild silver vixen are quite certain to be

B629M

Fig. 1.—A silver fox bred in captivity. Note the tip of the tail, which is white in all
phases of the ordinary red fox.

red. Fortunately, experience has shown that when silvers are bred
in captivity the tendency to produce reds can be overcome by selective
breeding.

The average red fox has the throat, breast, and belly white, and
the sides and upperparts mainly red, this color being pure across the
shoulders and on the nape of the neck but sparsely mixed with white
on the back and sides. Close inspection discloses that the red and
white are only on the surface, and that the fur beneath is almost
black on the upperparts and dusky gray on throat and belly. It
shows also that the fine hair or wool constituting the underfur is
tipped with red and that, as a rule, the coarse guard hairs have a

2+Genus Vulpes.

THE DOMESTICATED SILVER FOX. 5

white section a little below the tip. Occasionally a guard hair is
found that is entirely black. In the typical silver fox black replaces
the red of the ordinary fox, the white of the guard hairs on the upper-
parts remaining constant. The result is a beautiful black, overlaid
by a sprinkling of silvery white. Between the red and the silver
phases there are grades of every degree, ranging from red-backed
animals with black underparts through conditions characterizing
cross foxes and rusty silvers. In rare instances even the white bars
of the guard hairs are displaced, the result being a black or a silver-
black fox. In general, the cross fox is fairly common, the silver-
gray scarce, and the pure black very rare. . :

The market value of skins of the different phases depends upon
the relative scarcity of the animals. The price paid for black skins,
however, has recently fallen considerably below that of silvers, for
the reason that furriers now dye ordinary red fox skins a lustrous
black and put them on the market at a comparatively low figure.

HISTORY.

Domestication of the fox was first achieved in the Canadian Prov-
ince of Prince Edward Island, in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Silver
fox pelts have continuously commanded high prices, and hunters
have been correspondingly keen to secure them. It is not strange,
therefore, that the first successful breeders of this rare animal were
men who had pursued it in the chase.

In 1894 a ranch was built and stocked with two pairs of silver
foxes. This became the first profitable fox ranch, the forerunner of
a remarkable and, for that region, a revolutionizing industry,

At that time black pelts brought much higher prices than silvers.
This prompted the first fox ranchers to retain their darker animals
and dispose of the lighter ones, and as a result each successive lot of
pelts from their yards was darker than those of previous years.
Finally, in 1910, they were able to send to the London sales the finest
collection of silver fox pelts that had ever appeared there. This lot,
containing 25 pelts, brought an average of $1,386 each, the best one
selling for $2,624. In the meantime a few other small ranches had
been started in the Maritime Provinces, Newfoundland, Maine, On-
tario, Michigan, and Alaska. The policy of the half dozen Prince
Edward Islanders had been to monopolize the business, and not
even their families were enlightened as to their methods. The pelts
had been shipped three in a package by parcel post from a distant
post office, and reports of the sales had been received in code. The
fox raisers had entered into a compact to sell no live silver foxes
and had bought the best that could be obtained. Notwithstanding
their secrecy, the evident improvement in their financial conditions
was noticed by their neighbors, who thereupon desired to participate.

6 FARMERS’ BULLETIN 195,

Disclosure of the results of the 1910 sales was the climax of the
first stage in the development of fox farming. Persons who formerly
had known something of the business were now eager to engage in it.
Those having money invested it in foxes. Others mortgaged their
farms for the purpose or fitted up ranching facilities and boarded
foxes for a share of the progeny. How rapidly prices for breeding
stock advanced is well illustrated by the experience of one ranchman
who sold his first pair of cubs for $750, and other pairs successively
for $3,000, $12,000, $13,000, and $14,000. In the fall of 1913 good
ranch-bred cubs 6 months old sold for from $11,000 to $15,000 a
pair. Pairs that had had large litters were valued at about twice as
much as 6-months-old cubs.

The maintenance of this prodigious inflation of prices was due
mainly to stock companies, which originally were formed by individ-
uals without sufficient capital to engage in fox farming alone.
Almost immediately, however, companies were formed for the benefit
of those having foxes to sell. Attractive prospectuses containing
pictures of silver foxes, an account of the 1910 sale of pelts, and a
list of companies which had paid dividends of 20 to 500 per cent
were published, and stock sold through brokers and solicitors. Foxes
that would bring $12,000 or $15,000 a pair in the open market were
usually capitalized in companies at $18,000 or $20,000, which, after
allowing for commissions, installation of pens, and other ranch
necessities, left a tolerably safe balance from which to pay the first
year’s running expenses. Another reason for the multiplication of
fox companies is found in the income to be derived from them by
brokers and promoters, and many companies were formed by men
having no other interest. The outbreak of the European war, in the
summer of 1914, interrupted and possibly ended these speculative
operations. Ranch-bred silver foxes have recently been. advertised
for sale at from $500 to $1,000 a pair. In some of the western Provy-
inces and Territories of Canada, where only those foxes born or kept
for a year or more in captivity are allowed to be exported, prices
of wild half-grown silvers run from $150 to $250 each.

In the pioneer days, when proper methods of handling foxes were
unknown, many failures resulted from ignorance and carelessness.
The excitement following the fur sales of 1910 hastened the improve-
ment of methods of feeding, handling, and breeding. It also broke
the monopoly, and caused a rapid distribution of foxes and of infor-
mation concerning them. Now, with a comparatively large number
of silver foxes in domestication, with a clearer understanding of their
successful management, and with a return of moderate prices for
breeders, a steady, healthy, and general development of silver fox
farming may be expected.

THE DOMESTICATED SILVER FOX. 7

Fox ranches are now established in most of the Canadian Provinces
and in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, New York,
Pennsylvania, Ohio, Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri,
Oregon, Washington, and Alaska.

CLIMATE.

Fur growth is intimately related to climate. A long cold season
and at least a moderate rainfall are important. Hot summers are
not detrimental if short and followed by a season of frosty weather
during which animals renew their coats. Dry winds tend to make
fur harsh, and excessive sunshine fades it. The fitness of a locality
for fox farming can be judged from the quality of fur produced by
native wild foxes. While the proportion of silvers to reds varies
greatly in different regions, this variation does not appear to depend
on climatic conditions, and need not be considered in locating a
fox farm.

The map of life zones shown in figure 2 indicates the regions
having an average temperature favorable to fur culture, the cooler
Canadian Zone being superior to the Transition Zone. Much of the
region west of the Great Plains is included within these life zones
on account of its high altitude, which makes it as cold as lower areas
much farther north. While parts of this region possess the requisite
degree of cold they are too dry and sunny for the production of
- first-class fur.

SITES.

One of the most important considerations in the choice of a site
for a fox ranch is security from unusual noises and occurrences.
The fox is naturally timid and nervous. It can be tamed to a
degree, but its excitable temperament can be completely overcome
only by a long process of careful breeding and selection. It is espe-
cially shy and irritable during the breeding season.

Foxes like to be screened from observation, and by day in the wild
state are rarely found far from cover. During the heat of summer,
especially, they enjoy dense shade. Furthermore, sunshine injures
the color and character of fur. It is advisable, therefore, to locate
a ranch among a growth of young trees thick enough to shade about
half the ground. Deciduous trees are preferable to evergreens, as
they allow the sun to make the yards more comfortable in winter and
to clear the ground of snow earlier in spring. Old trees are likely
to be broken by storms, and in falling to demolish fences.

On a slope with a southern exposure the snow will be gone and the
ground warm when the cubs are ready to leave the dens. A clay sur-

FARMERS’ BULLETIN 195.

face is to be avoided, but a subsoil of clay or hardpan is an advantage,
as the foxes will not dig ground hard enough to require a pick to

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Gravel affords excellent drainage, but foxes burrow

deeply in it and thus are difficult to manage, even though they may

break it up.
not escape.

- THE DOMESTICATED SILVER FOX. 9

INCLOSURES.

A model fox ranch has three kinds of inclosures—dens in which
the animals are sheltered and the young are born; yards or runs,

where they may have
sunshine and_ shade
and sufficient exercise
to keep them in good
health; and a guard
fence surrounding the
entire ranch, for the
double purpose of
preventing intrusion
from without and es-
cape from within.

DENS.

The walls of a fox
den should exclude
moisture, deaden
sounds, and_ protect
the occupants from
extremes of heat and
cold. During the
breeding season,

Fie. 3.—Vertical cross section of a barrel den.

when foxes are unusually nervous and when the cubs can not with-
stand exposure, these features are particularly important. Pro-

Fic. 4.—Horizontal longitudinal section of barrel den.

vision should also be
made for ventilation
without admitting
light or drafts. The
barrel den shown in
figures 3 to 6 is

merely a clean barrel, having a smooth interior, surrounded by

dry sawdust, within a wooden box.

In one head of the barrel

is an entrance hole 8 inches wide and 10 inches high. A similar

74743 °—Bull. 795—17——2

10 FARMERS’ BULLETIN 195.

opening is made in the upper side for inspection, cleaning, and
ventilating. Above the barrel a screen door is hinged to preclude

Fic. 5.—Vertical longitudinal section of barrel den.

escape when the cover is raised. A sheet of burlap tacked to one
side of the screen-door frame and spread over the netting when
the covers. are raised for ventila-
tion will keep out air currents and
light. At the entrance hole is an
elbow spout, 2} feet in the shorter
arm and 6 feet in the longer.

The large den shown in figures
7 to 9 has advantages not found in
barrel dens. It has double walls,
the interspaces being lined with
building paper and filled with saw-
dust. The exterior
may be battened,
shingled, or covered
with tarred paper.
It is large enough to
r give the foxes loung-
ing room outside the nest compartment, and is arranged so as to

Fig. 6.—Exterior view of a barrel den (see figs. 3-5).

THE DOMESTICATED SILVER FOX. ll

be easily cleaned and disinfected. By leaving the door open on fine
days the interior can be exposed to the drying and purifying effects
of sunshine. The door and the opening to the exit chute should
face southward, and the rear end should be raised enough to give
the floor a slant downward toward the door. The entrance to the
nest compartment and the inner end of the chute should be about
4 inches above the floor to prevent the G(r
cubs from getting out before they are
able to return.

The corners along the floor and sides
of the nest compartment are filled with a
chamfered strip of board (figs. 7 and 8)
to keep very young cubs in contact with
the vixen and thus prevent their becom-
ing chilled. Toaccom-
modate a large family | Fic. 7.—Ground plan of
of cubs running about == BMS EA ESE

the yard, it isadvisable to have extra dens improvised from barrels or
boxes, as shown in figures 10 and 11. Such shelters increase the di-
versity of the yard and afford the animals more protection from the
weather.

As to the proper location of a den, opinions differ. Some place
it near the middle of the yard (fig. 12), where the foxes are sup-

posed to feel more secure. Others
locate it outside the yard, in order
that the vixen may not jump to and
from the roof and thus cause abortion.
All dens placed outside of yards
should have an inner door of wire
netting if they open to an alley.

YARDS.

Although fox yards vary in size,
shape, and construction, depending on
conditions on different ranches, there
is a definite type now generally recog-

ce: ECan - eae ae of nized as best adapted to fox farming.
Such a yard has an area of from 2,000

to 2,500 square feet. The majority in the recently built ranches
are 50 feet square. Some breeders prefer long, narrow yards, which
give the foxes more space for a hard run when they are frolic-
some, though the cost of fence materials is considerably greater
than for square yards of the same area. The arrangement of a
series of yards depends upon the space they are to occupy. When
arranged as nearly as possible in the form of a square the expense of

12 FARMERS’ BULLETIN 195,

in a row.

Fic. 9.—Double-walled den; exterior broken to show inner den

a

(see figs. 7 and 8).

But the extra cost of building detached pens as
shown in figure 14 is more than compensated for

inclosing by a guard fence is
less than when side by side

Two plans of

four-yard ranches are shown
in figures 13 and 14, the
smaller compartments being

for males. The
expense for posts
and _ scantlings
in building a
ranch on the
plan of figure 13
is less than for
the plan of fig-
ure 14, inasmuch
as adjacent
yards have a
common frame
between them.

by the greater convenience in caring for the animals and in con-

trolling them in case they escape from their yards.

If a fox gets out

of its yard, it is sure to be discovered in one of the alleys, whence its

return to its proper
quarters is a simple
matter.

The supports of a
fence are ordinarily
wooden posts, set in
the ground at inter-
vals of from 12 to =ZSpucsantyrouniemaly

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Fic. 10.—Den improvised from a box.

many fox owners to abandon them for a framework of scantlings
entirely above ground. The foundation may be of stone, concrete,

“ THE DOMESTICATED SILVER FOX. 13

or cresoted planks. The posts of framed fences are tied together
by the netting and braced from the ground as shown in figure 15.
A durable and attractive fence support recently adopted by several
fox owners is shown in figure 16. It has a concrete foundation 4
feet deep, 9 inches
thick at the bottom,
and 6 inches thick
at the top, and pro-
jects slightly above
ground. In this are
embedded posts of
1-inch galvanized-
iron pipe. Tie-rails
of {-inch pipe con-
nect these posts at the top and also just above the foundation.

Wire netting for fox-yard fences has been in use from the begin-
ning. It allows free circulation of air and permits the animals to
take an active interest in their surroundings and in one another.
The netting ordinarily used is like that for poultry runs, except that

Fic. 11.—Den improvised from a barrel.

B630M
Fig. 12.—An inexpensive type of den. ‘Table in foreground is for the food of parent
foxes; by means of it young cubs are prevented from obtaining too much meat.

the wire is heavier. It may be of 2-inch mesh in 14, 15, and 16 gauge.
The lower part of a fence should be made of the heaviest wire ob-
tainable, the lighter grades being used for the middle and upper
parts. As very young foxes are likely to become entangled in 2-inch
netting or even to go through it, many fox breeders use only 14-inch
mesh. Those having 2-inch mesh usually reinforce it from 6 inches
above the surface of the ground to 6 inches below it with boards or a
strip of 1-inch netting.

14 FARMERS’ BULLETIN 1795.

The disposition of
foxes to take an ad-
| versary at a disad-
vantage has led to
| serious injuries when
adjoining yards were
8 separated by only a
single partition of
| coarse netting. In a
number of instances
| a climbing animal
has had its foot seized,
| pulled through the
- fence, and held by the

Fie. 13.—Plan for rectangular yards in series; dens with Ok upant of the next
yards. yard until its frantic

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Fic. 14.—Plan for square detached yards; dens and doors in alleys.

THE DOMESTICATED SILVER FOX. 15

struggles to escape resulted in a badly mangled leg. Such accidents
can be avoided by making double-walled partitions, the walls sepa-
rated by at least + inches, or single-walled partitions of 1-inch net-
ting or of boards. The necessity of erecting double partitions is
overcome, however, by use of the plan illustrated in figure 14.

The height of a fence depends somewhat upon the depth of the
snowfall. In Maine and the Maritime Provinces the usual height is
9 or 10 feet, while in Laborador it is 12 feet.
To prevent foxes from digging out, the fence
is either extended into the ground (fig. 17) or

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Fic. 15.—Sections of yard'and guard fences, with
frame supports. The yard fence, a, has a founda-
tion of creosoted planks. The guard fence, b, rests
on stones and has a mat to prevent foxes from
digging out, and an outward overhang to keep out
dogs and other intruders.

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turned abruptly inward at the surface (fig. 18) to form a mat 3 feet
wide, the inner edge of which is pinned firmly to the ground and
usually covered with earth or stone. A fence extended into the
ground must reach a depth of 4 or 5 feet if the soil is soft, and be
turned inward a foot at the bottom.. If there is a subsoil of clay or
hardpan, the fence need not enter it more than 6 inches. Instead of
netting, the underground part of a fence may be made of 2-inch
creosoted planks. As foxes climb wire fences readily an inward over-
hang about 18 inches wide should be placed at the top to prevent
escape (figs. 15-20). When a fox has scrambled up to an overhang,

16 FARMERS’ BULLETIN 1795,

its only means of descending is by falling. Sometimes valuable ani-
mals have been seriously injured in this way. To prevent accidents
of this kind an intermediate overhang is sometimes constructed 5
feet from the ground, as shown in figure 16, or a smooth zone of
boards or sheet iron is inserted in the upper half of the fence, as
shown in figure 20.

The yards for sequestering males are usually adjacent to the main
yards, with which they are connected by a chute having a sliding
door (fig. 21), though sometimes they are separated from the family
yards. It is advisable
to have them roomy,
as indicated in figures
13 and 14, in order
to give the animals
enough runway to
make them vigorous
during exile. When
allowed to be together
the pair may have the
run of both yards.
Although quarters for
constant occupancy
should be roomy,
those for temporary
use, such as are re-
quired by dealers and
ranchmen for isolat- .
ing sick or newly ar-
rived animals, may be
comparatively small.

Temporary pens are
Fic. 16.—Iron posts and concrete foundations for yard often not more than
fence, a, and guard fence, b. Note the 18-inch over-
hangs, two on the yard fence, one of which (5 feet 6 by 10 feet on the

from the ground) is to prevent foxes from climbing to oround and 4or5 feet
the top and the resulting injury from the greater fall, =

high. They are made
with netting on top, bottom, and sides, stretched over a frame of
scantlings. The posts do not enter the ground, but rest upon sills,
to which they are securely nailed. By means of braces the frame
can be made rigid, and when covered with netting 1s strong enough
to be moved without weakening. The cheapness, security, and port-
ability of these pens make them a very useful adjunct. Foxes
have bred and reared young in temporary pens that were only 12 by
15 feet, but such narrow quarters are not recommended for perma-
nent use.

: THE DOMESTICATED SILVER FOX. 17

When alleys are used between pens, as shown in figure 14, it is well
to have them closed at the outer ends to facilitate the return of
escaped animals and provided with overhangs.
Entrance to the yards should be by way of these
alleys.

Doors may be made entirely of wood, or of
netting attached to a durable frame which can
not be gnawed by a fox or warped (fig. 19). If
they are divided into upper and lower sections
of equal size, much of the labor of clearing paths
when snow is deep can be eliminated by leaving
the lower half of each door closed.

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GUARD FENCES.

The guard fence surrounding a fox ranch is
generally constructed like the yard fences already
described. Where snow drifts badly the fence
should be built of boards rather than netting, in
order to keep the snow from piling up in the F6. 17.—Fence extend-
yards. In addition to the usual inward over- ae
hang, it should have an outward overhang of barbed wire to keep
out dogs and other intruders (fig. 15).

FOOD.

The natural food habits of foxes are similar to those of dogs.
Birds, mice, rabbits, and other animals are eaten, as well as grass-
hoppers, crickets, and other insects, eggs, and
many kinds of berries. In short, the animals are
practically omnivorous.

The rations of domesticated foxes include beef,
horse meat, mutton, veal, woodchucks, rabbits,
liver, fish, eggs, milk, bread, mashed potatoes,
crackers, mush, dog biscuit, boiled turnips and
carrots, and fresh fruits. The selection of meats
* is largely a. matter of circumstances. At irregu-

lar and uncertain intervals one may obtain in-

jured or worn-out but otherwise healthy horses,

or old sheep that can not be fattened for mut-
ee es tories ah 3 ton, and these, when slaughtered, make good and

inward at surface of Cheap meat. Woodchucks and rabbits, freshly

ground to formamat. killed, are always welcome in a fox yard.. When
cheap meats fail, beef and poultry are used.

Fortunately, foxes do not need meat every day. Some keepers
feed it but two or three times a week. Young foxes are not allowed

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18 FARMERS’ BULLETIN 795.

meat until they are four months old, as it is likely to cause rickets.
Meat intended for a brood vixen may be fastened to the top of a
table out of the reach of her cubs.

B63I1M

Fic. 19.—Details of entrance, mat, and overhang of a fox yard.

Milk, with some sort of bread or cooked mush, is the standard food
for old and young. Foxes, which are fed twice a day, usually have
meat in the morning and bread or mush and milk at night. In sum-
mer the proportion of meat is less than in winter. When smelts or
trout can be had they are frequently substituted, but fish is not con-

: THE DOMESTICATED SILVER FOX. 19

sidered good for foxes in warm weather. Coarser fishes are some-
times used, but are not very much in favor. It is not deemed well to
feed milk and fish on the same day. Milk
and eggs are often given to females about
the time cubs are expected, to strengthen
them, relax their bowels, and allay fever.
Fish, liver, and tripe are other laxative
foods which may be used instead of milk
and eggs. <A diet of eggs, milk, mush, and
wheat bread without leaven or salt is ex-
cellent.

The preparation of food for foxes deserves
careful attention. All dishes should be kept
clean. Meat that is diseased, tainted, or in-
fected with parasites must be boiled. It is
better to skin rabbits, as their hair readily
felts and sometimes forms in balls in the
stomachs of animals which feed on .them.
Their heads and entrails also should be re-
moved, as these parts are frequently in-
fested with parasites. Smelts and small
cout may be ted. whole, spat, larger fish Ftc: 20.—Section® of a fence

containing a smooth zone to
should be dressed and the backbones re- protect foxes from injury
moved. Chilled meat should be warmed © fom falling. Concrete foun-

. : dation and iron posts.

before being offered to cubs or nursing fe-
males. Oatmeal or cornmeal mush should be thoroughly cooked.
All food for sick animals should be cooked to make it more digest-
ible and to free it from disease germs.

Foxes should be fed regularly twice
a day, morning and evening. This is
especially important in hot weather,
as Whatever is left from the first meal
will spoil before time for the next.
By giving at each feeding only the
proper quantity the injurious effects of
gorging can be avoided. Overfeeding
is more dangerous than underfeeding.

Foxes that are to be slaughtered for
their pelts are well fed during the
autumn months, as the finest skins
usually come from fat animals. Brood

SS

=

V/

SS

Fic. 21.—Chute for connecting yards.
It can be closed by inserting a :
sliding door in a slot. animals, on the other hand, are kept

thin throughout the summer and up to about the first of January,
when their rations are increased to prepare them for the breeding

season.

20 FARMERS’ BULLETIN 1795,

PROPAGATION.

Foxes mate in February or March. The mating season is often
revealed by a brownish discharge and may last anywhere from a
few hours to two or three days. The gestation period is about 51
days. The size of litters ranges from one to nine, the average being
about four. Each male remains faithful to the vixen of his choice
and is an exemplary husband and father. During the first few days
after the cubs are born the vixen remains in the den. Meanwhile
her mate brings her food and remains constantly in the vicinity to
apprise her by warning barks if an enemy approaches. Attempts
have been made by fox breeders to mate one male with several fe-
males in the same season, but, as a rule, the results have not been
encouraging.

Males are removed from the breeding yards for a part of each year,
the length of their exile depending upon the relations of the pair.
If they are quarrelsome, it is best to separate them soon after the
female becomes pregnant. If, on the contrary, they agree and show
attachment to each other, it is wise to keep them together until the
cubs are four weeks old, but after that the male is likely to bite them
during scrambles for food at meal times. While sequestered, the
males are usually kept in small pens which may adjoin the breeding
yards, as shown in figures 13 and 14, or removed to a separate
inclosure, where they may be allowed to run together in a large
yard or confined in individual pens. Because of their inclination to
fight, individual pens are preferable.

The reproductive period in foxes is about 10 years. Approxi-
mately 50 per cent of the females in domestication breed each year,
and the aggregate increase is not far from 100 per cent for the total
stock on ranches. Failure to breed is attributable to a variety of
causes, among which are sterility, injuries, worry, and mismating.
Females barren for two years in succession frequently become pro-
ductive on being mated to a different male. Prolific vixens, run down
by several litters in succession, sometimes skip a year in which to
recuperate.

The excitable disposition of foxes is one of their most troublesome
characteristics, and no opportunity should be lost to abate it. In
the breeding season it is very essential that nothing shall occur to
make them apprehensive. A nervous vixen is likely to refuse the
attentions of her mate, or to injure herself and cause abortion, or,
what is still more probable, to destroy her young soon after they
are born, by neglect, or by taking them from the warm den and
carrying them about the yard in search of another hiding place. In
her extreme anxiety she looses all her instinctive prudence. She
becomes essentially insane, and only the closest attention on the part
of her keeper can save her cubs.

THE DOMESTICATED SILVER FOX. Ad

From the time the cubs are born until they are two or three weeks
old constant care must be taken to prevent losses in this manner.
Any unusual sight, sound, or odor, by day or night, is liable to alarm
a vixen and cause her to maltreat her young. The best way of
dealing with a worried vixen is to shut her with her cubs in the den
for several hours or until she becomes pacified. If she is disturbed
by the proximity of other foxes, as sometimes happens, her view
should be limited by boarding in the lower 2 or 3 feet of her yard,

CARE OF YOUNG.

Young foxes are subject to other troubles which, unless corrected,
often prove fatal. They may be infested with external or internal
parasites, or their mothers may not have enough milk to nourish
them properly. It is very important that their condition from day
to day be known. But the great value of the cubs and their danger
from the irritability of their mothers generally cause the keeper to
refrain from looking into the dens. By watching the behavior of
the mothers they judge whether the young are doing well. It has
been demonstrated by at least one progressive keeper that this uncer-
tainty is by no means necessary. Foxes are not excited by routine
events. By giving them large two-room dens, similar to the one
shown in figure 9, and always feeding them in the outer compart-
ment, they are led to expect the entrance of the keeper as the regular
preliminary to each meal, and even to welcome it. When the keeper
enters, they, of course, depart, leaving him free to look into the inner
den. He should not touch the cubs unless they need attention.

The young are small and weak at first, and their mother remains
with them almost constantly for the first three days. They grow
rapidly and usually begin to appear outside the den in about a month.
When 6 weeks old they eat more or less solid food. After this they
may be weaned. Many breeders leave the weaning entirely to the
vixen unless she is becoming emaciated. A decided advantage in
weaning cubs when they are 6 or 8 weeks old is that when the keeper
controls their food he can more easily eradicate the intestinal worms
which usually infest them. Care should be taken to keep early-
weaned cubs clean and dry. In case of accident to a mother fox,
cubs may be reared by cats almost from birth. Not more than two
cubs should be given to one cat. After they are about 3 weeks old
their teeth become large and sharp enough to lacerate their foster
mothers, and they must be reared by hand.

The taming and training of the foxes when pups tends to the
production of adult animals which are much more valuable for breed-
ing purposes. That attempts to tame pups may meet with some
degree of success is well shown in the illustration on the title page.

22 FARMERS’ BULLETIN 1795.

BEHAVIOR.

During the day, particularly in fine weather, foxes are generally
quiet, staying either in their dens or curled up among the branches
of a tree or upon a shady platform several feet above the ground,
whence they can see all that goes on around them. Late in the after-
noon they arouse and until morning engage in a variety of activities.
Sometimes they run and caper joyfully; sometimes when the soil is
soft and the yards are not floored they dig, although animals ac-
customed to captivity rarely show a determined effort to escape by
this means. When suddenly frightened they often attempt to escape
by climbing the fence.

In the majority of fox yards the inmates skulk and hide whenever
anyone approaches, although ordinary travel along a thoroughfare
a hundred yards or more away gives them no apparent concern. All
moving objects interest them keenly. Birds alighting within their
yards often fall prey to their agility. Among themselves they are
generally at peace, but a flash of treachery is likely to be displayed
whenever one animal finds another at a disadvantage. One fox will .
seize and mangle another’s foot that has been carelessly placed on
the intervening fence, or will maim or kill a neighbor’s cubs.

The natural timidity of foxes can be largely dissipated by special
efforts to domesticate them in the full sense of the word. By wean-
ing them early and thereafter feeding them from the hand, they
usually become gentle and attached to their pens. When animals
escape they sometimes return of their own accord or allow their
keepers to capture them without difficulty. For example, a tame red
fox after being liberated from a ranch maintained for cross and
silver foxes went to live in the woods but presented himself early
each morning at the gate of the ranch to be let in for a visit with his
former comrades. After a time he commenced a burrow on a dry
knoll in one corner of the outer yard and devoted half an hour daily
to its extension. Although his career was, unfortunately, cut short
by a trapper, he lived long enough to indicate very clearly that the
wildness of foxes can be modified or even overcome.

HANDLING FOXES.

Unless foxes are diseased or injured, it is rarely necessary to lay
hands on them. When one is to be removed from its yard, ordi-
narily it can be first driven into its den and thence into a small
handling box having a sliding door at one end and strong wire net-
ting covering one side. In this manner it can be transferred without
danger of injury to itself or its keeper. It is best to darken the
handling box by covering it or by turning the netted side downward
on the ground before attempting to drive a fox into it. In actually

THE DOMESTICATED SILVER FOX. ye

handling grown foxes it is prudent to wear gloves to guard against
being bitten, though this precaution is not always adopted by ex-
perienced keepers. An effective device for catching foxes is a pair
of tongs with jaws curved to form a circle 24 inches in diameter.
The fox is first driven into its den or into a large covered box.
Then the cover is raised barely enough to let the tongs pass in and
grasp the fox around the neck. By holding the tongs in one hand
and grasping the hind feet and tail of the fox with the other, the
animal can be held securely.

Healthy foxes if properly boxed and cared for can be shipped
safely almost any distance. Two foxes, or even more than two, are
sometimes shipped in the same compartment, but this is inadvisable
unless the distance is short. As a rule, a box containing two should
be partitioned, each animal having a space equivalent to 2 by 3 feet
on the floor and 1} feet high. About half of one side of the box
should be removed and the opening covered with wire netting to
allow ventilation and inspection. Shippers often cover the entire
box with netting or tin to preclude the possibility of escape. A dish
for water should be fastened to the floor close to the front, where it
can easily be filled. Foxes are not usually injured by a fast of three
or four days, but they should not be allowed to suffer from thirst.
Express companies, if duly instructed, will feed animals en route and
add the cost to the regular transportation charge. In case the ani-
mals are very valuable or are to be shipped a long distance, an
attendant should accompany them.

HEALTH.

Generally speaking, sickness is not common among domesticated
foxes that are well cared for. Once in a while one breaks a leg as
the result of a fall or, more often, from entanglement in wire netting
having too coarse meshes. Lacerations rarely result twice from the
same cause or from fighting. Even more rarely is a fox choked while
eating. Passing meat and small or soft bones and cartilage through
a bone grinder will not only prevent choking, but allow enough bone
to be fed with the meat to produce sturdy animals. Simple fractures,

_uncomplicated by abrasions, will mend if untouched, but it is better
to bind splints upon the wounded limb to keep it in proper shape,
and then to apply iodoform to prevent the animal from tearing them
off. When a bone is badly shattered, and especially when it pro-
trudes, the leg should be amputated. Anesthetics are likely to kill
foxes and hence should not be used. Flesh wounds ordinarily require
no attention other than washing once or twice a day in warm carbo-
Jated water or with Castile soap, followed by an application of
hydrogen peroxide.

24 FARMERS’ BULLETIN 195,

Thus far no widespread disease among foxes has made its appear-
ance. When diseases occur they mainly affect the digestive organs,
and usually can be traced to improper feeding. Indigestion and
inflammation of the bowels are not uncommon among cubs. Isola-
tion in clean, dry quarters is the first step toward a cure, and rest and
fasting are better than medicine. A spoonful of milk diluted with
six spoonfuls of boiled water will quench thirst and aid in maintain-
ing strength. The feces should be examined daily. Constipation is
frequent, and it is especially dangerous to vixens during the first
three days after the birth of their cubs. It can generally be cor-
rected by a laxative diet, as milk, liver, or veal, but in extreme cases
a dose of castor oil or an injection of soapsuds may be necessary.
A protracted attack of diarrhea can usually be checked by a purge of
castor oil followed by small doses of laudanum. Generally, however,
a day or two of fasting followed by short rations of cooked milk or
milk and eggs, at intervals of two or three hours, will effect a cure.
During such an attack vitality runs low, and care must be taken to
keep the afflicted animal in a warm, dry place. It should have access
to water that has been boiled. Growing cubs are frequently subject
to weakened and distorted legs. This disease, known as rickets,
‘an be prevented by including ground bone in their meat rations and
by adding limewater to their milk. The bones of calves and those
from the briskets of beeves are comparatively easy to crush so that
foxes can swallow them.

At quarantine stations where imported animals are examined,
particular attention is directed to symptoms of rabies and mange.
The fact that rabies, or hydrophobia, is communicable to man makes
it doubly dreaded. Fortunately it has not appeared among domes-
ticated foxes so far as known. Mange is characterized by a loss of
fur. It is caused by a tiny parasite, somewhat like the itch mite,
and is, therefore, very contagious. Were it to obtain a foothold
among domesticated foxes, it would seriously hamper and perhaps
ruin this branch of the fur industry. All animals showing a tendency
to have bare spots should be isolated at once. The diseased parts
should be treated daily with ointments, as petrolatum or a mixture
of lard and sulphur.

Foxes serve as hosts for a number of other parasites. Lice and
fleas infest their hair and skin, while roundworms and tapeworms
drain their vitality from within. The death of a fox has occasionally
been attributed to lice. Even if not fatal, lice and fleas diminish
the vigor of their hosts and should be persistently combated. Some
fox breeders dip all their animals in a nonpoisonous bath such as is
commonly used for dipping sheep. It is well in any case to dust the
dens with sulphur and insect powder at frequent intervals.

THE DOMESTICATED SILVER FOX. 25

The intestinal worms infesting foxes are difficult to eradicate.
Probably more young foxes succumb to the effects of roundworms
than to any other cause. These worms are whitish and cylindrical,
tapering toward either extremity. Among the symptoms indicating
their presence are dullness, barking, frothing at the mouth, dragging
the body by the forelegs, and convulsions. The flat, jointed tape-
worm, often a foot or more in length, is a less fatal as well as a less
common internal parasite, but animals suffering from them are ema-
ciated and lack overfur or guard hairs. As a cure for worms one
breeder of long experience frequently gives his cubs a meal of crushed
flaxseed and milk, alternating now and then with six or eight drops
of spirits of turpentine in milk. Another doses his cubs every fort-
night after they are four weeks old with a proprietary vermifuge put
up in gelatine capsules for puppies and pet dogs, beginning with half
the contents of one capsule. Castor oil containing a few drops of
turpentine is also recommended. Any remedy administered by hand
must be pushed down below the base of the tongue, when it will be
involuntarily swallowed.

A fox sometimes dies from no assignable cause. More often
fatalities can be traced to a lack of care or foresight. The dishes
from which the animals eat and drink should be washed daily and
scalded frequently. The water should be clean and changed daily.
The food should be varied and wholesome. Danger from unwhole-
some food is well illustrated in the experience of one ranchman who
lost several of his choice breeders through feeding them spoiled fish ;
and another who lost $100,000 worth of cubs as a result of thought-
lessly exposing meat overnight to the fumes of gasoline in his slaugh-
terhouse. The appearance of each animal should be critically noted
every day. On many of the larger ranches a doctor is regularly em-
ployed to look after the health of the stock. In the care of foxes an
ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

IMPROVED STRAINS.

The fact that domestic animals originated from wild stock and
that improved strains have from time to time been secured makes it
reasonable to assume that other wild animals can be differentiated
and improved by the same method, namely, selective breeding. So
far as foxes are concerned, this has already been done. The pioneer
fox breeders began with ordinary silvers, which have a tendency to
produce red as well as silver progeny. At that time dark pelts were
more valuable than light-colored ones. By regularly disposing of
the less desirable cubs and breeding only from the best, the tendency
to throw red was soon eliminated and the color of the fur greatly
improved. Within 16 years from the time the two pioneer fox

26 FARMERS’ BULLETIN 195.

breeders built their ranch they were sending to market the finest
fox pelts in the world.

The tendency of wild silvers to produce red progeny is accounted
for by the fact that owing to their scarcity probably only one in a
hundred can have a silver mate; perhaps three in a hundred may
mate with cross, foxes, which are merely hybrids, or descendants from
hybrids, between silvers and reds; and the remaining ninety-six must
mate with reds. In any event, although some of the cubs may be
silver, all of them will inherit from their red ancestors a tendency to
throw red. As has already been pointed out, however, this tendency
very soon disappears under the influence of careful breeding. Gen-
erally speaking, pure strains of silver foxes breed true. So also do |
pure strains of red. When a red and silver are mated together, the
color of the progeny can not be foretold. The cubs may be red with
black throats, or they may be crosses, or a mixture of the two. One
or more may be silver, but this is unusual. Random breeding from
silvers and crosses of unknown pedigree is equally uncertain, as is
shown by the following results:

A silver mated with a red produced two crosses, which when mated
together produced one red and four silvers. <A silver and a cross
produced three silvers and two reds. <A cross and a red produced

two crosses and two reds. A cross and a cross produced two silvers,

two crosses, and one red. Another pair of crosses produced nine
crosses. A red of silver-cross parentage mated with a red of silver
parentage produced one silver and two crosses. A silver and a red
produced in two successive years thirteen silvers. <A pair of reds
from the same litter as two silvers produced three silvers, one cross,
and two reds. <A pair of silvers produced one silver and five reds,
two of which, when mated together, produced three silvers and one
red the first year and two silvers the next year. Another pair of
silvers produced four crosses, while a silver and a cross produced a
litter of all silvers.

These results indicate the uncertainty of breeding at random, but
they show also that if a fox of any color whatever has a silver strain,
the silver can be made to appear in succeeding generations by selec-
tive breeding. This fact is most important. Suppose a breeder has
a strain of silvers lacking in size, or fecundity, or in some other
desirable particular. He can introduce specimens having the desired
qualities without having to consider color. A red fox can be used
if one of better color is not available. In the course of three or four
generations the silver can be fully reinstated. Among the features
to be considered besides color are size, fineness of fur, fecundity, do-
cility, and hardiness. Fecundity appears to be a hereditary trait
among foxes, daughters of prolific mothers being themselves gen-
erally prolific. How rapidly other desirable characters can be in-

THE DOMESTICATED SILVER FOX. 2
corporated remains to be determined. As with poultry, horses, and
other farm animals, so it is with foxes. Each breeder should strive
to perfect his animals according to some standard. Eventually there
may be several standards based upon varied uses or requirements.

The process of developing improved strains can undoubtedly be
shortened by taking advantage of local variations in foxes. One of
the lines of investigation conducted by the Biological Survey includes
the geographic variations of North American mammals, and from
this it is possible to say not only where silvers and crosses occur most
frequently, but where the largest and the best-furred foxes are found.
Upward of 20 species or subspecies of red foxes have been named in
the United States and Canada. The medium-sized foxes along the
North Atlantic coast are notable for their fine silky hair. The
largest foxes are in Alaska and on the Plains northward from Minne-
sota and North Dakota. The large size of Alaskan coast foxes is
offset by long, coarse pelage, which is decidedly longer on the shoulders
and back of the neck than on the back and hips. It remains to be
seen whether in crossing them with the smaller, finer-haired animals
the progeny will be large or small, coarse-haired or fine, or inter-
mediates. There can be little doubt, however, that in the long run
such a cross will result in larger fine-haired foxes than any now exist-
ing. The northern part of the red fox’s range has, as a rule, a larger
proportion of silvers than has the southern. An exception is found
in the Cascade Mountains in Washington, Oregon, and California,
where, judging from specimens in the National Museum, the per-
centage of melanistic specimens is very large. They have little to
recommend them besides color, however, as they are small and have
rather coarse fur.

Black and silver foxes are found in North America practically
throughout the range of the red fox. The best-furred animals do not
occur, however, throughout this range, but are obtained mainly in
restricted areas. Jor instance, skins from the Tanana River district
in Alaska and the adjacent part of Yukon Territory, from certain
other parts of northern Canada, and from the North Atlantic coast
from Maine to Labrador, including Prince Edward and other islands,
are of about the same grade. This is recognized by the leading
London furriers, who report that “in our opinion fox skins from
Labrador, Newfoundland, or Alaska are equal in quality to those
from Prince Edward Island.”

It is not known that any particular geographic race of foxes
is especially characterized by fecundity or docility. These qualities
are probably individual, occurring in about the same proportion
everywhere, and while of secondary importance, in the long run
they are sure to be favorable to success in fox farming. Already
prolific pairs bring much higher prices than those which have thrown

28 FARMERS’ BULLETIN 1795.

small litters or have not been tested. Inasmuch as one of the main
causes of loss among young cubs is the timidity and nervousness of
vixens, the development of more docile strains will result in corre-
sponding increase in the birth rate. Some male foxes are much better
mates and sires than others. In selecting breeders the temperament
of males as well as of vixens should be considered. The physical
development and potency of males are also essential factors. Young
males that are not strong or not well developed when six months old
are not likely to be of use in the breeding yards the first year and
should not be selected for sires.

Food is recognized as a very important element in the develop-
ment of good animals. The finest specimens of domestic cattle are
those which have been fed most wisely. As regards foxes, much
remains to be learned concerning the effects of different rations upon
such matters as fecundity, character of fur, and rate and limits of
growth. It should be a part of every breeder’s plan to discover all
he can about the relative values of foods and methods of handling,
as influencing the process of selective breeding. Ultimate success or
failure in fox farming depends largely upon the aspirations of those
engaged in it. If breeders earnestly, consistently, and indefatigably
endeavor to improve their stock and to produce pelts that are larger,
softer, and more uniformly colored than the usual run, there can be
no question as to the result. There will never come a time when an
extra fine silver fox pelt will not command a good price nor when a
breed producing such pelts will not be in demand.

ACCESSORIES.

Contentment and vigor of the animals within a ranch is of the
utmost importance. Whatever contributes toward increasing these
qualities should be incorporated if possible. It is well to test young
foxes with such toys as a ball, a tin can, or a piece of woolen cloth,
with a view to amusing them and exciting a spirit of playfulness.
A variety of objects in which they can hide and upon which they can
mount for a survey of their surroundings, as hollow logs, stumps,
brush piles, or open barrels, is desirable.

While the suggestions given under this heading apply primarily to
persons having large capital invested in fox farming, they will also
be found helpful to those operating on a small scale. The present
value of silver foxes is so great that every precaution is taken to pre-
vent accidents, sickness, or other misfortunes. Watchmen are kept on
guard day and night. The keeper’s lodge is just outside the guard
fence. In addition there is sometimes a tower, from the top of which
a view can be had of all the yards. Here are recorded the progress of
events in the breeding season; and from here quarrels, accidents, or
signs of sickness can be discovered without alarming the animals.

THE DOMESTICATED SILVER FOX. 29

A tower 12 or 15 feet square and three stories high, fitted up as a
3-room house, would contain on the top floor the watchman’s couch,
chair, and field glasses, his table and writing materials; a cook stove,
pantry, sink, and other kitchen appurtenances will be on the ground
floor, and here food for the foxes can be conveniently prepared.
Somewhere about the place there will be a medicine chest and various
tools likely to be needed in an emergency.

Risk of loss by theft or escape is lessened by installing electric
lights which can be turned on at any time, and an electric burglar
alarm. Bulldogs are used to reenforce the night watchman; and on
some ranches bloodhounds are kept for tracking thieves. Foxes that
escape generally return to the vicinity of the ranch when hungry,
and a number of small steel traps having the jaws wound with cloth
should be kept on hand to catch them. Ranch foxes have less endur-
ance than wild ones, and a good hound can usually overtake one after
a short run. The manager of a ranch on Prince Edward Island has
a hound which on several occasions has assisted in the capture of
foxes without hurting them in the least. Such dogs are excellent
insurance against loss by escape.

Other accessories of a fox ranch, and those most prominent, pertain
to food supplies. There must be facilities for slaughtering horses,
cattle, and smaller animals; an ice house and a refrigerator for keep-
ing the meat fresh until it can be used; and conveniences for drying,
smoking, and salting meat that must be kept a long time. A
screened room or box is necessary to protect stored meat from flies.
Cows are needed to furnish milk, an important element in the diet of
domestic foxes. In a dairy region calves are disposed of when but
2 or 3 days old. At that age they are small, and their flesh is soft.
Sometimes there are more calves on hand than can be used imme-
diately. By having cows to suckle them a few weeks, the veal,
improved in quality and increased in quantity, will be available when
needed. Rabbits are the natural prey of wild foxes. They have an
important place on a fox ranch as a fox food which can be drawn
upon at any time, which is always fresh, and which is in such small
units that ice or other preservatives are unnecessary.

Occasionally a vixen having young cubs is unable to give them
proper attention. Then a foster parent must be supplied at once or
the cubs will die. To provide for emergencies of this kind, every
ranch should include several female cats.

MARKETING.

The products of a fox farm—breeding stock and pelts—are ready
for market at definite seasons. The live animals are mainly sold
during the autumn, as it is to the interest of buyers to have their
stock fully accustomed to new surroundings before the breeding sea-

30 FARMERS’ BULLETIN 795.

son. By the middle of September young foxes are large enough and
the weather is sufficiently cool for shipping with safety. When there
is not an adequate local demand, foxes are generally disposed of by
advertising in publications devoted to furs, fur farming, or trapping.
Shipments of live stock by express are generally at the risk and ex-
pense of the purchaser. Valuable animals are usually accompanied
by a caretaker, especially if the journey lasts more than two days.
Skins of foxes killed late in December, when fox fur is in its finest
condition, are ready for market in January. Foxes are skinned by
making a cut straight from one heel along the rear edges of the
hind legs and beneath the tail to the other heel, and withdrawing
‘the body through this slit. The skin of the tail should be cut along
the lower side, its entire length, and the bone removed in order that
air may come freely into contact with the flesh side and dry it
quickly. Unless this precaution is taken, the tip of the tail is likely
to decompose and lose its hair. For the same reason the back skin
of the ears should be separated from the cartilage to which it is
attached. When the operation of skinning is over, the pelt is freed
from particles of fat and muscle. It is then drawn, flesh side out,
over a stretching board similar to the one shown in figure 22, not

Fic. 22.—Diagram for stretching board for casing skins. The wedge makes it adjustable
in width and facilitates removal from a skin.

for the purpose of actually stretching the skin but to prevent it from
shrinking and becoming wrinkled as it hardens. Before the skin is
completely dry it should be removed from the board, turned hair
side out, and hung by the nose where it will be free from pressure on
all sides. No preservative is required. Although raw fur buyers
are to be found in nearly every town in fur-producing regions, fox
farmers prefer to sell their peltries direct to metropolitan establish-
ments, where rare furs are handled extensively and where experi-
enced furriers are familiar with values.

In preparing valuable peltries for market, extreme care should
be taken to prevent blood from coming in contact with the fur.
With this in view, the method of killing commonly adopted is to lay
the fox on its side on clean snow, and then to compress its chest by
standing upon it.. This stops the action of the heart and lungs and
death follows immediately. The same result, without the unpleasant
features connected with thus catching and smothering the animal,
can be obtained by means of a killing box, which from a humani-
tarian point of view is preferable. This is merely a tight wooden

THE DOMESTICATED SILVER FOX. Bil

box into which the fox is to be driven from its den. When the fox
is inside and the door securely closed, an ounce or two of chloroform
or carbon bisulphide is poured through a hole in one of the upper
corners into a wide, shallow dish, as a tin pie plate, fixed just below
in such manner that the fox can neither get into it nor upset it. The
hole through which the pouring is done should be corked at once and
every part of the box made practically air-tight. The smaller and
tighter the compartment the less will be the quantity of anesthetic
required. The box should not be opened within half an hour.

In localities where fox farming is carried on extensively, it will
be found advantageous for producers to establish a selling agency
in charge of one familiar with the fur trade. In this way it will be
possible to match many of the skins and sell them in sets at a higher
price than can be obtained for odd skins.

; COSTS.

e

The cost of establishing a fox ranch varies according to the mate-
rials used, transportation facilities, and the proportion of labor per-
formed by the owner. The factory price of the netting described
in the section relating to inclosures is from 1 to 3 cents a square foot,
according to the mesh and size of wire, when sold in rolls containing ~
150 linear feet. It is manufactured in the various widths required
for different parts of the fences. Ordinarily in a fur country the
expense for lumber would not be great. A considerable saving can
sometimes be made by building the guard fence of boards instead
of netting. The average life of the netting is about 12 years, except
when exposed to sea air, in which case it is only about 8 or 10 years.

Feeding a fox costs from $5 to $15 a year. On a farm where there
are cows and where grain and vegetables can be raised, it is not neces-
sary to buy very much fox food. Except on large ranches devoted
exclusively to fox raising and where a special keeper must be em-
ployed, the care of a few foxes will not entail much outlay.

The fixed annual charges against a pair of silver foxes will vary
with the locality, value of equipment, etc. On some ranches it
has been estimated about as follows: Interest on cost of yards, $10;
depreciation of yards, $10; food, $20; and attendance, $50; amount-
ing to $90; added to this must be a reasonable charge for interest on
the original cost of the pair. -Killing foxes at the age of 4 or 5 years,
when their pelts are good, and breeding always from young stock
may be practicable, but this point has not yet been decided. As a
rule, one may expect to keep choice animals as long as they are pro-
ductive; that is, about 10 years. Deterioration, therefore, on the live
stock will be 10 per cent; and to this should be added 10 per cent for
insurance against loss by death, escape, or theft.

32 FARMERS’ BULLETIN 1795.

The value of breeding stock has fluctuated greatly in the past. _
gener ‘al, it he pik: on the emrent demand for silver fox Kk

and quality of fur have been fixed, are worth for breeding pu
as much more than ordinary stock as pure-bred horses ce 1
common horses. z.
As has been pointed out under the subject of improved strains,
crosses and reds derived from silvers throw a proportion of sil
cubs. It is feasible, therefore, if one is willing to sacrifice the
required, to obtain a stock of silvers from these more common fo
which cost comparatively little.

INCOME.

The profits from silver fox farming have generally been large.
Prjor to 1910 they were derived almost wholly from pelts, but siz
then they have come mainly from the sale of breeding stock.
lowing the decline of the speculative phase of the fox industry,
ranch-raised silver fox pelts reappeared at fur sales, and brot
e couraging prices, a few going as high as $1,000 each. Janu
quotations for first-grade skins during the 12 years from 1905
1916 average about $600 each. Out of a miscellaneous collection
of silver fox skins, principally wild, disposed of at auction early
in 1916, 60 were sold at an average of $550. Many wild skins are
necessarily imperfect, being unprime, worn, or not well colored,
those from selected domestic animals killed when their fur is at
best may be confidently expected to rank as first-class goods.

The supply of silver fox pelts must always come from cold climates
beyond the more thickly settled temperate regions. They are not
likely, therefore, to become overabundant. Red fox skins have been
marketed for many years. -"Their numbers, while fluctuating con-
siderably from year to year, on the whole have remained approxi-
mately constant. Their average value, however, has increased. But
the supply from wild foxes can never be greater than it is now
Already red foxes can be raised and their pelts sold without I
and it may be probable that before many years the rise in fur values
and the introduction of more economical methods of ranching will
result in making the raising of red foxes profitable. The silvers
are of superior beauty and many years must pass before — can
become common.

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