The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1899-09-13
FREAK FARMING In INDIANA.
SOME STARTLING DIGKESSIONS
FROM STRAIGHT AGRICULTURE,
Skunks, Weasles, Tom Cats, Bun
Frogs and Obnoxious Weeds
and VarmintS are Elk.
tensiyeIy Raised.
tensiYeIy Raised.


A correspondent of the Saint Louis
Globe-Democrat, writing from Auburn,
Ind. mentions the unusual materials
that many farmers of that state are max
ing use of in place of the staple crops.
Besides describing "leech farm"
mention is made of farm where Angora
cats are the main feature. In Shelby
county several farms have gold fish as an
adjunct, from which two millions OF
fish we're sold last year. Three or four
farms are mentioned where ginseng is
largely grown, one farmer planting 100
acres. Of two other Industries" he
writes as follows: Indiana farmers are
becoming freakish in their pursuits.
During the present year some of the
most startling digreSsiOns from straight
agriculture and horticulture have been
made by Indiana land owners, and corn
has been laid on the shelf, while they
turn to raising skunks, weasles, tom
cats. bull frogs, obnoxious weeds and
varmints. There are six skunk farms in
Indiana today and the farmers are get
ting rich. The industry is becoming so
considerable in Importance that it was
trusted but two weeks ago. Skunks
have long been held in anything bat
reverence by the straight agriculturist,
and it never occurred to him that they
would be a good and much less de-
sirable crop. The largest skunk farms
in Indiana are in DeKalb and Lake
counties. The odoriferous animals are
raised by the ten thousands. The swell
lady who aspres to be ''just the thing"
in what she wears on her back is laying |
aside her sealskins and donnng the
glossy pelts of the skunk OF course
She would be Mortified if any one should |
accuse her of wearing plain skunk's
skin, but that is one thing she buys un-
der an imported name from Paris. The |
seals coat is not near so glossy and pref |
ty as the pelts of rdese little animals. A
black skunk is worth 81 in any market
today, and the striped ones ara worth |
$3.50 up. They are very easy to raise, |
are found to be TespectoTs of persons, |
discriminatOrs in their acquaintance and |
have a keen sense Of appreciation. I'm
less an enemy had invaded their sacred |
precincts recently any one could drive
down the road past skunk farm and
never suspect that probably $4,000 of the
animals were within twenty miles Of
him. There is no prettier sight than to
see several thousand of the kittens play
ing in the sun or the moon light, with
their glossy coats giving off regular
electric light gloss. They are very easily
and inexpensjvey raised and placed on
the market.
There are now three big rabbit Farms
in Indiana. The largest one is eighty
acres in extent and is located near wa
bash and known as the Wabash Belgian
Hare Breeding and Importing Cos.
farm. Ten acres are laid aside for the
breeding grounds and I'D the Enclosure is
a rabbit kennel which is heated by steam
and lighted by electricity. The company
is beaded by Nathan Meyer OF Wabash,
who probably knows more about rabbits
than any man in the county. He hn1s
that it is necessary to have 1000 female
and forty buck hareS TO raise l,OOO, OUU
If the Belgian breed year. The cons
pany has Herman Wolff, an agent, in
France and Belgium at present buying
them up Dy the thousands and shipping
them to their Indiana farm. The rabbits
live on hay and grass, consuming nifty
six pounds of the former or 28O of the
latter during the seven months it re-
-quires them to properly develop. Each !
female will breed seven or eight times a
year and each time have from three to
five rabbits. Their pelts are worth from
1Oc. to 25c. apiece, and their hair is used
in making the finest white crush hats.
They are edible and also command a
market price as pets.