The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1895-05-01
4 SKUNK FARM.
y INTERESTING EXPERIMENT IN
WEST VIRGINIA.
,.s,ooherdstown "a Citizen Starts Novel
ruterprise--Ihe Animals NauseOus
Artillery source OF Appre-
hensiOn.

hensiOn.
Robert g. Miller is about to try an in
+orestng and what he hopes will be a
nr,ftable experiment near Shepherds
tour w. Va. He has leased an acre of
aronrd lust north of Shepherdstown and
ELL start skunk farming on an extensive
ooole Mr.. Miller has been dealing in
sLunk hides for several years past and
has shipped as many as 500 from his
n1ace in a single season. He has con-
ended that it pay will to raise them in an
enclosure and kill off the increase on a
rising market. There are several skunk
farms in the United States-one in New
rorsev one in Ohio and another in Penn
ovlvania-and Mr.. Miller has been in cor
coincidence with their proprletOrs con
corning the business. AS a result of this
exnerience and advice he will start his
oneratjon with about fifty of the ami,
mails He already has number on hand
and bv the time he has his place prepar-
ed he expects to have full supply of
climber. but is rather good at digging.
In building an enclosure, therefore, their
habits in this respect must be regarded.
fence of stout oak boards will be built
three feet under ground; above ground is
a twelve-inch plank, above which is two
feet of wire netting; this is surmounted
nv another plank nailed fast to the tops
Of the posts and projecting on the inside.
A fence three feet high does not seem
much of a barrier, but it is said that the
animals will not be able to get over it.
Its not thought that there will be much
danger of any one breaking in from the
outside. Sheds will be built to serve as
hiding places and protection from the
weather.
The hides are salable only when takeh
in winter, and bring from 81 to $1.75
each. Mr.. Miller sells the hides in New
York to manufacturing furriers, who
make them up into various articles of
feminine wear. The demand for good
peltS is constant.
The trappers who are now catching
the skunks to stock the farm use steel
taps. They need no bait but place the
trap at the entrace to the den of the ami
mails, the plan being to catch them by
the foot as they come out. 1t is not an
entirely pleasant job to transfer the
odoriferouS little beast from the trap to
tie bag, for it is not, naturally, in an
amiable frame of mind after having been
held in those cruel steel jaws for several
hours. One has to careful to escape be-
ing bi item. No amount of care, however,
will avail against the effective weapon of
defense that nature has provided the
skunk with.
The outcome of the new industry is
awaited with some anxiety by the people
of the neighborhood. They hope to see
financial success, provided there is no
serious change in the sweet breezes that
Glow from the north. There is some fear
that the skunk farm may become embar-
raSsingly manifest. Mr.. Miller says that
there need be no fear, however. The
skunk can readily be tanned and kept as
a pet 1t only uses it's nauseous artillery
when rudely disturbed. There are many
erroneous impressions concerning the
beast. 1t is commonly believed that it
distributes the vile-smelling fluid by
whisking it about with its tail. This is
no; the case. The fuid is carried in anal
pouches and is discharged by muscular
contraction. 1t can be projected dis
lance of from eight to twelve feet. The
smell, however, is carried easily mile
Whether Mr.. Miller will make for
tune by this queer venture or whether
the Shepherdstown folks will get mao
and dump the whole farm over the cliffs
into the Potomac river is an open queS
ton.