The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1895-02-19
PROFIT IN RAISING BEAVERS.
A Unique Industry in an Out-oGthe-
WaY Corner in Tennessee


One OF the chief industries OF Lake
County, Tenn, is beaver farming. The
county is cut by numerous little rivers
and creeks, and the Western corner is
touched by the Mississippi River Reel
foot Lake is also within its borders.
The county has but one town of any
size. 1t is tho scat OF government,
called Tiptonville. The banks Of these
streams are fringed with cottonwoods
and species of elm that has q warped
and stunted growth. These small
streams and the trees that grow along
thcir banks are the valuable features
of the beaver farms.
While other farmers arc crying ruin
and deploring low prices, tho beaver
farmers enjoy themselves rolling up
bank accounts that are no way threat
ened by dry seasons, hailstorms, or q
a demand for beaver fur, and for the
good article the price is always salts
factory and unvarying. With $500 in
his pocket man may establish be;t-
YER farm which will yield him from
81 900 to 81, 900 in three years, if sue
cessful He first purchases from ten
to tifteon acres of land through which
runs u stream. AT point whore the
stream is narrow and tho banks steep
a dam is built. This is done by telling
q few trees across the bed of the stream
and filing in with dirt and stones. In
this way tho water is held back, so that
two or thrco acres OF land are flooded.
Along tho banks Of tho stream and
around the pond, wiro netting from
two to three feet high is placed, en-
clC, ing ali the trees that can possibly
bo taken in. Now and then, however,
q farmer loses some Of his colony,
which escape up or down the stream
by burrowing under tho fences, but he
has the chance OF getting some OF his
neighbors' animals, and he makes no
complaint.
A colony Of twelve females and four
males Is sufficiently large to start with.
The animals are purchased in the
Saskatchewan valley in Manitoba,
where they are trapped. A colony Of
the ponds in the spring when tho water
is high; and all The farmor has to do
is keep his dam and fences up and
prevent hunters from killing tho ami
mails. The farmer experiences but
little trouble with poachers, for it is
generally understood that man
caught in the act OF beaver hunting on
land that doesn't belong to him is to
get q bullet in his skin rather than
trial by jury
| 1t take tho animals but short timc
to become accustomed to thcir new
| surroundings. In Il few days they
| begin building their huts of mud and
sticks. They work vigorously on the
are gnawed off. The first year the
farmer receives no Income. The ami
mails spropagate.rapidly, and by fall in
the second year the colony has greatly
| increased in numbers.
The first two years on q beaver farm
| is tedious existence. Tho farmor
! divides his time between caring for
his colony and hunting. Upon the
latter he depends principally for his
| food. But little money is spent in the
constructions OF dwellings. First, an
excavation five or six feet deep is mado
in tho ground, and around this stakes
are driven closely together. When
| fixed in the ground they stand about
six feet high. Two tall, strong, posts
are set in Lno conlro at each end, and
running from one to the other is ridge
! pole. Long poles are slantcd from
! this over the ends Of tho surrounding
stakes, projecting several inches On
| the roof thus made cakes of sod arc
| laid, dirt Is then thrown over it, and
! the whole is covered with sod. Around
the outside, dirt is heaped until the
ends OF the roof poles are covered.
The whole, from distance, looks like
a tcntsbaped upheaval of tho ground.
! The entrance is square opening in
one end. Although there is nothing
attractive about the architecture Of
this abode, it Is q very comfortable
dwelling, and protects the occupant
againt the winter freezings perfectly.
Bear skins and dear pelts scattered
over the floor and pieces of rough fur
niture covered in the same way, add to
the comforts Of the place.
The best of Feeling usually exist
between the residents OF this outof-
the-way <eorner.is The farmers are,