The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1899-09-07
freak Farms in Indiana.

d
rs are becoming freakish in their
-rs During the present year some
most startling digressions from
5t agriculture and horticulture have
7a.ie by Indiana land owners, and
,- been laid on the shelf, while they
tMsing skunks, weasles, tom cats,
.4as obnoxious weeds and varnints.
re SIX skunk farms in Indiana to-
The farmers are getting rich. The
, S becoming so considerable in
,rte that it was trusted but two
AGO. Skunks have long been held
hing but reverence by the straight
ulist, and it never occurred to him
... would be good and much less
Mole crop. The largest skunk farms
,na are in Dekalb and Lake Coun-
fine odoriferous animals are raised
ten thousands. The swell lady who
S 10 be ''just the thing" in what
-lt> on her back, is laying aside her
rs and looming the glossy pelts of
rk. Of course she would be horri-
amy one should accuse her of wear
am skunk's skin, but that is the
size buys under All imported name
r4liS, The seals coat is not near
SLY and pretty as the pelts of these
pimals. A black skunk is worth
market to-day, and the striped
e worth $50 up. They are very
raise, are found to be respectors of
IS. liscriminators in their acQuain-
ud have keen sense of apprecia-
Mess an enemy had invaded their
lrcincts recently, any one could
wn the road past skunk farm
,er suspect tlat probably so, 900 of
nails were within twenty miles of
there is no prettier sight than to
eAl thousand of the kittens play
hc sun or the moon light, with
5sSy coats giving off a regular
light gloss, They are very easily
xpensively raised and placed on
.pt.
are now three big rabbit farms in
The largest one is eighty acres
and is located near Wabash and
~ he Wabash Belgian Hare Breed
Importing Company 5 farm. Ten
.e laid aside for the breeding
md in this enclosure is RABBIT
which is heated by steam and
eg electricity. The company is
N Nathan Meyer of Wabash, who
Is knows more about rabbits than
.u The country, He finds that it
-~aIy to have b coo female and
Is Elres to raise l,C00, 600 Of the
breed year, Tie company has
Wolff. au agent, in France and
AT present buying them up by
uds and shipping to their lndi-
4 The rabbits live on hay and
5asuming 81 pounds of the former
wi the latter during the seven
requires them to properly devel-
female will breed seven OF eight
an and each time have from three
bbits. THEN pelts are worth from
.-e apiece, and their hair is used in
the finest white crush hats. They
lie and also command market
pets.
.a is but one leech farm in Indiana,
may be the only one in the country.
laws of long ago, when the old time
mrs prescribed an application of
IS tor everything from the toothache
a. the leech demand was something
JUS over the country, but in the
later medical and surgical expert
the ieech has constantly been on the
The Indiana leech farm is locat-
axe County, and is carried on in
of moss filled watts. The leeches
from Germany, and are OF
-st breed. They are easily raised
@ packed in crates filled with moss
etation, They are kept an indef-
period. Though the demand is
ompared with what it formerly
lie Indiana leech farmer is able to
-rai hundred thousand year. He
las constant demand because of
5erior breed which he carries.
big money in it.
her decadent industry is marked
passing of the old school herb
and Indiana farmers are just get
Is TO it and putting it for the first
commercial basis. When Indi-
Ill Of the Mississippi Valley was
The herb doctors We're in clover.
amp woodlands they found gin
peculiar plant with root on
rae herb doctor laid great stress.
ny ont the root and used it. When
ID doctor passed, the weed became
ei as obnoXious-as there was no
i for it-and it was grubbed out by
mels. 1t is a rare thing to lind one
weeds in Indiana to- day, when
uu are after the almighty dollar
III ways mysterious, have sudden
.1Vered that the same weed which
rmers have been grubbing out is
money. There are three or four
Z farms in Indiana to-day, and it is
lltivated on a commercial basis.
1seng is the great panacea for all
hina, and the root is worth from
500 an ounce, according to its
and texture. The Chinese use
old feet and warm hearts, as tails
and as a mascot to drive the evil
is away. No Chinese home is COM
its 'seng" and when wise
hung Chang came to this country
rec years ago, bringing with him
tin, he also brought with him a
DOT which was valued at 500. It
) constant companion. Leonard
Z Of Jackson County, is probably
lgest seng farmer in the State to-
He is putting 100 acres in the
1t is slow work and very expen-
1t requires 40, 900 seed to plant one
md these seeds are worth $50. He
NJ up the roots for sprouting pur-
at what seems fabulous prices.
he seed is sown it takes the plant
years to mature. When it has
N its growth, however, the roots
from one half to 3 ounces each.
200 had 100 acres in this, and all was
ing, he would have the greatest
me in the country.
aat raising is something new, in
farming, at least. Since, how
tuLOra cats have reached the start
.uation of -, 000-at which Napo-
wned by Mrs. Charles Weed of