Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1894-12-01
MONEY OUT OF sKUNKs.
A Pcnnsy lvanian Raising tho Little AMI
mails for The'r Peitr.


In LawreLce County, rcnnsyl.
vania, Is 10 ated the only skunk farm
in the world. 1t Is owned by John
Eckman, who In April Of last year
killed a couple of the little creatures
and sold their hides to furriers for 81
each. llc concluded that IL was a
profitable business and the idea Ut es.
tablishing skunk industry suggested
itself, and the idea was no sooner
conceived than acted upon, says q
writer in the Ohio State journal. He
Immediately set to work and captured
between thirty aud forty skunks and
established his farm. From thirty
last year his stock has increased tn
$50 this year and will continue to In.
crease in the same ratio from year TO
year. lie keeps ten females to one
mae and two filters Of young ones a
year Is the III erage Of a female, with
from seven to nine at each litter So
that IL may be seen that the rate of
increase Is very rapid. A popularity
Of the skunk Is that when the second
litter IL born the first litter Is killed
by the old one, and this, It Is said, is
the reason they do not increase SO
rapidly In their wild condition. tn
prevent this killing of OF the first lit
ter Mr. Eckman separates the first
litter from the old ones before the
second litter Is born. The first litter
Is placed In an addition TO the original,
and In this way the industry Is ex.
tended. Tho skunks are fed Offal
from slaughter.houses. worthless
sheep aud milk. They are very hardy
and seldom, die Of any disease. Next
year Mr.. Eckman expects to have
1000 on his farm. In December OF
each year the killing occurs ten
males being killed to one female.
The pelts arc valuable, ranging from
so cents to o. apiece. Black pelts are
most In demand and bring the high.
est price. The proprietor OF this
farm expects to make u fortune out
Of the skunks, and from all indica.
tions IL In q fair way OF doing SO.
The Enclosure IN which the skunks
are kept is about two acres In extent
and IL surrounded by u board fence
about four feet high made out OF
rough timber just inside the fence
0nd about three feet from II and ex'
tending entirely around the lot, was
constructed u ditch or mOat, walled ny
with solid masonry. the object Of tlle
moat being to prevent the skunk
from burrOwing under the fence aud
escaping from the farm. Inside the
mOat, aud entcndink around the en-
closure, side by side, mounds OF earth
that present very much the appear
ance OF graves, making the entire In
closure look very much like u GENE
terry. Beneath these mounds OF earth
were wooden G0xes Of comnOd i0ut
sizc to which was an entrance ut the
end OF the mound through U sort Ol
square opening constructed Of boards
In these burrows live the skunks
Across the inside angles OF the fence
were nailed boards to prevent the
skuuks from elm hing over and escap
Ing. Mr.. Eckman, whl.c conducting
q party Of visitors around tho plac
recently, picked up by the tails tw;
Of the blacklist and most fer0clou,
looking skunEs In the whole lot. The
lady visitors uttered u scream and
broke for the entrance 10 the enclOs
uro Us fast as their feet could Carr,
them, and the 20 tlemen OF thepartJ
were not disposed to tarry On the
ground until the fears OF all were ie
lieved by Mr.. Eckman's assuring
them that there was no danger ut al |.
Mr. Eckman explained that the fetid
liquid, which makes the skunk SO re
pulsive. Is secreted In y small gland
near tho pelvic extremity or the
spinal column, and that ut certain
times the skunk emits this LIQUID Ia
u tine spray rs means Of self de
Tense. He srid tho skunks on hi,
farm never emitted this disayreeahlt
liquid except when killed or engaged
In u light During this conversation
the skunKs c0ngregated around them
by the scores ard resembled o great
number Of cats waiting to 10 fed.