The Portland daily press., 1893-06-26
FARMS or CURIOUS KINDS.



Rabbits, BuffaIoes, Dogs and Leeches.
Skunks are bred ON farms in Pennsylva-
mia, New York and Connecticut. The skin
and oil Of full grown skunk will net the
owner at least $3.50. The skin goes to the
furrier, and the oil is deemed by many a
sovereign remedy for coughs, colds, con-
sumption, ETC. The most successful skunk
farmer in the country lives at Hamburg,
Conn. He has been called ''the deacon"
SO long that few know his real name. And
why ''deacon?" Because he is the most ar
tistic user of explosives seen since the days
of army mule trains. His favorite books
are the Bible and Milton, and the lofty
denunciations therein contained furnish
tho basis of his sulphurous vocabulary
Yet none is more tender hearted and char
liable than he. In the Orange mountains
of New Jersey and among the various rocky
hills of Pennsylvania the rattlesnake is
treated as source of income rather than
as deadly reptile. Rattlesnake oil is &C
counted good for rheumatic.
The farmers of Colorado and Idaho, who
have of late begun the rearing of rabbits,
will hardly gain or merit the thanks Of
their neighbors. The fur has market
value, and canned rabbit is not to be de-
spised by a hungry traveller; but, owing to
certain extra endowments of nature, bunny
breeds SO fast-having litter of five at
least once month-as to become pest
equal in destructivenesst to tie grasshopper.
At least this has been the experience OF
Australia and New Zealand, to which coun-
tries rabbits were taken by settlers from
England. In the last decade New Zealand
has exported 100000,000 skins. and during
the same period Victoria's export has been
60,000,000. For these over $500, 900 has bees
received, q large sum, yet scarcely enough
to pay for the poison and powder needed to
keep the rodents from devouring the land.
1t is to be hoped that the western expert
ment in this line may not get beyond con-
troll.
Far different and quite praiseworthy is
the attempt to preserve and perpetuate the
American bison. Buffalo" Jones of Kan
sas the pioneer In this business, says only
two herds of wild buffaloes now exist, and
both number but 20 head. The millions
that once made the prairies shake with
their tremendous tread ore no more. They
were wiped out" between 1871 and 1878
When the railroads advanced, the Indians
retreated, and the pot hunter could massa
ere without subiecting himself to danger
or giving his noble prey chance for exist
ence. At least ZOO buffaloes now live in
safe captivity, and bred with the domestic
COW race of valuable hybrids has been
produced.
Dog farms there are, but they are devot-
ed to the rearing Of fighting, sporting or
fancy breeds. These bring high prices, and
the farmers, once they get regular line of
customers, are sure to do we'll. But the
worlds great dog farms are in Manchooria.
There dogs are raised for their skins, which
are sold to traders from northern Europe
A Manchoo who owns 1000 CANNES is
thought to be fairly prosperous. If pup
is designed for food. he must be strangled
to death, and the eaters may not approach
the temple of theif gods for three days
thereafter. Deer are preserved, and fancy
pigeons are bred by the wealthy, and in
North Carolina oa the Tar river, not far
from Greenville, there is 1eech farm
New York Sun A.