The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1895-02-22
PROFIT IN RAISING BEAVERS.
"A Unique Industry i'm an Out-octhc-
Way Corner i'm Tennessee.

"A Unique Industry i'm an Out-oEtbc-
way Corner I'm 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 the seat of government,
called Tiptonville. The banks of these
streams are fringed with cotton woods
and n species of elm that has u warped
and stunted srowth. These small
streams and the trees that grow along
thelr banks are the valuable features
of the beaver farms.
While other farmers are crying ruin
and deploring low prices, the beaver
farmers enjoy themselves rolling up
bank accounts that are no way threat
ened by dry seasons, hailstorms, or u
demoralized market. There is always
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 bea-
yer farm which will yield him from
81 900 to $4,000 in three years, il sue
cessful. He first purchases from ten
to fifteen acres OF land through which
runs Il stream. AT point where the
stream Is narrow and the banks steep
dam is built. This is done by telling
few trees across the bed of the stream
and filling in with dirt and stones. In
this way the water is held back, so that
two or three acres Of land are Hooded.
Along the banks of the stream aud
around the pond, wire netting from
two to three feet high is placed, en-
closing all the trees that can possibly
be taken in. Now and then, however,
farmer loses some of his colony,
which escape up or down the stream
by burrowing under the 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 arc trapped. a colony OF
sixteen costs $l60. They are place in
the ponds in the spring w hen the water
is high; and all the farmer has TO do
is keep his dam and fcnces up and
prevent hunters from killing the ami
mails. The farmer experiences but
little trouble with poachers, for it is
generally understood that u man
caught in the act of beaver hunting on
land that doesn't belong to him is to
get bullet In his skin rather than
trial by jury.
1t take the animals but short time
to become accustomed to their new
surroundings. In few days they
begin builulng their huts of mud and
sticks. They work vigorously ON the
trees and some of the smallest ones
are gnawed Off. The first year the
farmer receives no income. The ami
mails propagate.rapidly, and by fall in
the second year the colony has greatly
increased in numbers
The first two years on a beaver farm
Is tedious existence. The farmer
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 made
In the ground, and around this stakes
are driven closely together. When
hXed In the ground they stand about
six feet high. Two tall. strong, posts
are set In the centre ut each end, and
| running from one to the other is ridge
pole. Long poles are slantcd from
this over the ends OF the surrounding
stakes, projecting several inches. On
the roof thus made cakes of sod are
| laid, dirt Is then thrown over it. and
the whole Is covered with sod. Around
the outside, dirt is hcaped until the
ends OF the roof poles are covered.
The whole, from distance, looks like
tentshapcd uphcaval Of the ground.
Ihe entrance Is square opening in
one end. Although there is nothing
| attractive about the arc. ;tecture OF
| this abode, it is Il very com mfOrtable
dwelling, and protects the occupant
againt the winter frceZings 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 out-of-
the-way corner. The farmers are.
for the most part, men whose lives
have been passed on the Western
hunting grounds. They are hardy,
slow-gOing men, who take kindly to
the hermit life they live, but when
the time comes for selling the product
OF their farms they go down to Cairo
or Memphis and engage in a couple of
weeks of high livin., that makes the
good citizens tremble and the saloon
keepers richer. They spend their
money like water, and not infrequent-
ly, go back to their farms with empty
pockets. Notwithstanding their rough
ways, they are good hearted, and they
extend the wlrmest hospitality to
visitors.
The slaughteriug season begins in
December and lasts through January.
If there are several farms on one
stream the farmer whose corral is
nearest to the mouth of the stream
kills first. When he has finished. the
next one above him begins, and so on
to the last farmer. The work begins
by drawing of the ponds by means of
noodgates that are covered with wire
netting to prevent the animals from
passing through. When the mud
houses of the beavers are exposed the
farmer goes from one to the other and
taps on them with club. The noise
frigntens the animals out. From the
formation Of their legs they are natur
ally slow-runncrs. They are knockcd-
knccd, and their hind logs are wide
apart. When they leave the huts they
are despatched with clubs. 1t requires
but short time to kill them. When
the colony is planted they are brand
ed and at hutp phpripu tip,n tb,-, .,,,