The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-05-13
UNIQUE INDUSTRY.
a Man Who Rears skupks and Makes 1t
Pay.

a Man Who RearS sSuRks aud Makes 1t
Pay.
81 ClairsUae. o., Chronicle.
Probably as unique an industry as 'ex'
lists anywhere is that conducted by B.
R, Burlington, and consists Of rearing
skunks, The skunk is OF the cat family,
but the different varieties have never
yet been classified and distinctly de-
scribed by natural historians. It is not
-as many unprecedented with the
polecat, as the latter is much more like
weasel in size and habits, and is not
to be found in this locality. The skunk
is larger than the ordinary cat, and ia q
much more, beautiful animal, its hair
being long and silky, and its long curl
ing tail giving it an appearance OF
jauntiness and richness. II cannot run
fast, but ia a,great jumper and exceed
ingly active. Its home Is underground,
though it rarely burrows, using aban-
doned coal banks, or holes dug out by
its more industrious contemporaries,
and from which it drives them by sim.
ply taking charge itself.
Mr.. Burlington has neatly three
dozen Of the animals. He began by
trapping them, and several OF his pref
test bear evidence Of the steel trap in
having but three legs, Some OF them
he has brought up from kittens, and
this years increase-there being some
twenty-five females in the collection
will number at least ono hundred. The
skunks are kept in IN earth-covered
kennel, which in anticipation Of the
expected increase, is being made into q
large atrongly-boarded stocisade, The
ANIMALS are remarkably tame and
doCile. They submit to petting and like
to be stroked with the hand. as well as
any house cat. They are fed on milk,
bread and mush, and are fond OF all
sorts OF meat, not disdainiug even the
remains Of their deiuuct relatives. Most
OF tho collection are shining black, only
ono or two show heart-shaped spots OF
white on the shoulders. The object, of
course, is to breed out all the white
haired individuals, as the black fnrs are
moro valuable. None OF that savory
smell, supposed to DO inseparable from
the skunk, hung over tho plantation on
the occasion OF a recent visit, and the
kennel was no more odoritcrous than q
like assemblaGe Of dogs.
The owner puts his animals to var
ious uses, and finds the industry re-
munerative. A good black fur brings
81 %, q number two, or partly white
fur, from so to 90 cents. The fat Of the
beasts carcass-and they are as rule
rolling in fats rendered into oil, and
retails at a high figure. BY process
known only to himself, Mr.. Burlington
makes this oil perfectly limpid and
odorless, and claims for it high medi-
cinal virtue in the cure OF rheumatism,
and in making hair grow on bald heads.
He has made profitable thing, too,
out OF the sale OF the animals for house
pets. For this purpose no better AMI
nal could be found, as they are beauti-
full and intelligent, easily tanned, arc
perfect ratters and mousers, and do not
like the ordinary Tom--interrupt
ones slumbers with horrible nocturnal
noises. Mr.. Burlington has demon.
strated to his entire satisfaction that
the business can DO made to pay, and
he now intends going into 1t on much
larger scale. He is also experimenting
with foxes, and hopes to be able to sue
coed in raising these also, though there
is much more difficulty in DEMONSTRATING
tho sly Reynard.