Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1893-08-12
FARMS OF CURIOUS KINDS.


For the I;aising of skunks, Rattieanakes'
Rabbits Bui1aioes, Dogs, aud Aeeches.
Skunks are bred on farms in
Pennsylvania, New York, and Con-
necticut. 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
sovereign remedy for coughs, colds,
consumption, etc. According to the
New York Sun the most successful
skunk farmer in the country lives at
Hamburg, Conn. He has been called
1.-The deacon" SO long that few know
! his real name. And why "deacOn?"
Because he is the most artistic 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 the basis of his sulphurous
| vocabulary. Yet none is more ten
der hearted and charitable than he.
| In the Or nge Mountains of New
Jersey and among the various rocky
hills of Pennsylvania the ratt.esnake
is treated as source OF income rather
than as deadly reptile Rattle
snake oil is accounted good for
rheumatic" The farmers Of Color
ado and Idaho, who have OF late be-
gun the rearing of rabbits, will
hardly gain or merit the thanks Of
their neighbors. The fur has a
market value and canned rabbit is
not to be despised by hungry t:av-
eler, but, owing to certain extra en-
dOwnments OF nature, bunny breeds
so fast-having litter Of five at least
once month-as to become pest
equal in destructivenesS to the grass
hopper AT least this has been the
experience OF Austria and New Zea-
and, to which countries rabbits were
aiken by settlers from England. In
;he last decade New Zealand has eX-
ported 100, 900, 900 skins, and during
;he same period Victoria's export has
oeen 30. 1000, 600. For these over
5000, 600 has been received, large
.um, yet scarcely enough to pay for
he poison and powder needed,to keep
,he rodents from devouring the land.
It is to be hoped that the Western
experiment. in this line may not get
beyond control.
Far diffe ent and quite praise.
worthy is the attempt to preserve and
oerpetuate the American bison.
''Buffalo" Jones of Kansas, the pio
1eer in this business, says only two
nerds Of wild butfaloes now exist and
both number but twenty head. The
millions that once made the prairies
shake with their tremendous tread
are no more. They were "wiped OUT
between 1871 and 1875; when the
railroads advanced the Indians re
treated and the lot hunter coul(
massacre without subjecting himself
to danger, or giving his noble prey &
chance for existence. At least l,O0(
5uffaloes now live in safe captivity
and, bred with the domestic cow,
:ace of valuable hybrids has beer
produced. Dog farms there. are, but
they are devoted to the rearing o.
lighting, sporting, or fancy breeds
These bring high prices. and the
farmers, once they get regular lint
Of customers, are sure 10 do we'll
But the worlds great dog farms are ir
Manchuria. There dogs are RAISED
for their skins, which are sold tt
raiders from Northern Europe. A
Manchurian who owns l, 900 CANNES
Thought 10 NC ldiTly prosperous. L
pup is designed for food he must b.
Jtrangled To death, and the eater
nay not approach the temple of theil
.ods for three days thereafter. Dee
ire preserved ana fancy pigeons arr
bred by the wealthy. and in NORTH
Carolina on the Tar River, not ia
rom Greenville, there is a leecl
arm.
| An lnvfsi ble Emperor