The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1897-02-20
FURS FOR MARKET.
Unique Industry Which Promises
Large Returns to It's Founder.
Story of y Man Who Breeds and Cross
Breeds Long Haired Black Doxe
for Their Ekins-Thinks to
Rival the Astrakhan.

"Oh, yes, everybody admires my
sleighrobe, and they all say: What fine
wolfskins!' And they are fine, indeed;
but they never grew ON the body of a
wolf.
II had occasion to go some distance
back from the railroad, and into an al.
most unbroken wilderness, during one
of my northwestern trips, and there !
came upon a man who has struck a
practical trail that will lead him to
prosperity and probably to wealth.
He tried to sell me number of wolf
skins to make into a sleighrobe. When
/ asked him where he grew his robes,
he looked somewhat confused, then tried
a. bit of bluff, and finally, when he be-
came convinced that he could not impose
upon me, he told me the story of his
business undertaking.
Five years ago he visited the pounds
OF various cities, and gathered up all
of the long-haired black dogs he could
find. Then he bought mum Der Of fine
bred Newfoundlands, shepherd dogs
and spaniels, and shipped them home,
ostensibly to start breeding kennels.
by judicious breeding and crossing
he has greatly improved the fur quail
ties of these animals, producing a coat
that is long, soft, silken and very dur
able. The climate is cold, ard the dogs
live out of doors, save in the severest
weather. They are encouraged to run
and take great deal of active exercise,
are carefully fed, and occasionally
groomed, an operation which they very
much enjoy, capering and barking with
delight whenever the brushes and
combs are brought out.
"The puppies and their mothers are
cared for in the most painstaking fish
ion. All short-haired pups are put out
| of the way, and great attention IL given
to preserving for the breeding pens all
animals that show improvement In the
quality, length Or thickness Of their
coats.
when they reach suitable age they
are fed and handled with an eye to MAX
ing them hardy and bringing out thick,
long hair. For this purpose they are,
at the approach of cold weather, left
more and more out of doors, and are
only taken in at night when they might
suffer from exposure.
"After this stage until the day they
are killed they are kept muzzled when
ever let loose, in orler that they may
not fight and thereby impair the value
of their pelts.
"Thus far only black dogs are bred.
but after these have reached the desired
state of perfection, red dogs are to be
taken in hand and brought to the same
degree of excellence. This man says
that within ten years he will be able to
supply laprobe that will surpass for
beauty anything in that line ever seen.
The demand at present is for black
skins, and these are so fine and soft
that he has suggested that some of
them be made up into garments as an
experiment. Later he intends trying
woolly dogs as rival to the fashionable
astrakhan.
'The night slept at this farm l had
for a bedcover robe made from the
skins of six Newfoundland puppies. It
was as soft and pliable as piece of silk
plush, and the hair was finer than that
of much of the astrakhan in market.
The house was plentifully supplied
with rugs made from second and third
! rate skins of dogs that had not devel-
oped the desired qualities. One notable
feature of all the pelts he showed me
was the absence of odor. There Is n
wonderful difference in dogs in this re-
spect, and only clean-smelling dogs are
kept. All other points being favorable.
this one bars the creature from the
breeding pens."-N. Y. Ledger.